Raising Cain
by Shivera
Summary: Sequel to ST. Alice is nuts, Deans powers are growing, Dumbles is acting up, Scabbers had escaped and something is petrifying the students. Thank god there's a loony seer, a camera wielding fanboy and a very sensible young lady to help fight the good is
1. Chapter 1

Sum: Sequel to ST. Alice is nuts, Deans powers are growing, Dumbles is acting up, Scabbers had escaped and something is petrifying the students. Thank god there's a loony seer, a camera wielding fanboy and a very sensible young lady to help fight the good(ish) fight. Swearing and mentions of slash and 3soms.

Whoop! The sequal is up!

To everyone who reviewed the last chapter, thank you. To answer the questions; Alice isn't cursed, Bellatrix drove her a bit nuts and it said in the Saiyuki books that Bosatsu was a hemaphrodite, I'm do bow to cannon sometimes.

* * *

Trouble Rising

Augusta Longbottom sat in her darkened study, a glass of sherry in one hand, and listened.

The window was open, and she could hear Neville and Harry outside. Voices and the occasional burst of laughter reached her ears, how long had it been since the sounds of happy children filled the manor?

Her guardianship of Harry was being contested. Alice's breakdown had raised an awful lot of questions, the attempted murder of a child generally did. Even when that child was a relation of known Death Eaters, even when he didn't press charges, even when he just looked at his would-be murderess and started muttering darkly about psycho aunts who went around driving people nuts.

Someone always made a fuss, and in this case someone was various members of the Wizengomot, both Light and Dark allied families. The Lightsiders thought she wasn't a suitable guardian for the Boy-Who-Lived, that she couldn't protect or care for him properly with her grandson and daughter-in-law to look after as well. The Darksiders were simply up in arms about an attack on one of their own.

Hells, even Albas Dumbledore, who she had though would support her in this, was on the band wagon. _'You are already under great stress, Augusta.' 'There are others who can care for young Harry, he has relations.' Be reasonable.' _

But Harry looked at Dumbledore mistrustfully, and the fat man that had accosted them at Kings Cross Station, who Harry had called Uncle and flinched from, was not a suitable guardian for anyone. She would rather have put both her boys in the care of Lady Zabini then hand either of them over to the so-called uncle.

They seemed to get on rather well with the Black Widows son after all, and whatever she might think of the woman's morals, Arabella was a fierce fighter and would allow no harm to come to those in her care.

Augusta would not surrender Harry, would not 'Be reasonable'. To hell with Dumbledore,what did he know about it anyway? He'd gotten his only child killed decades ago. She would finght them all to keep her boys where she could protect them.

Harry made Neville so happy, after all, the same way that Ronald Weasley did. It was the same radiant smile, and he was what stopped Neville brodding on his parents.

They were both in psychiatric wards now.

"Go to hell, Albas Dumbledore, I will not give up my family."

xxxxxxx

Molly Weasley was walking around the Burrow, the feeling of a thunderstorm around her.

Percy was slightly impressed. Her aura of irrational fury filled the entire house. It had actually driven the ghoul from the attic, and even the gnomes looked edgy.

All this from the realisation that several of her sons got on rather well with a Malfoy, a friend of the Malfoy family and a few other Slytherins. Percy hadn't even told her about his relationship with Oliver and Percy yet, and he was not looking forward to it. Charlie had announced his bi-sexuality shortly before leaving home, and their mothers reaction to the news was probably a significant reason as to why he now lived in Romania.

Molly hated Indigo because he was a Malfoy and a Slytherin and had long hair, Jackie because he was a friend of the Malfoys and had long hair, and Flare and Yuki because they were Slytherins. Why she refused to acknowledge Tracy was as yet unknown.

Why was it that Father, the Weasley by birth and so the one who had an actual blood feud –if an undeclared one- with the Malfoys was prepared to set it aside for the happiness of his children while Molly, who had just married into the family, couldn't even hear the name without falling into a fury. She just would not listen to anything any of the Slytherins had said, and now refused to let the Twins read Jackies letters to them.

She refused to even consider that Scabbers might be anything out of the ordinary, despite his having lived far longer then any rat should have, just because Tracy had created the theory and Indigo had backed her up.

When did she become so prejudice?

"Dude, you look like someone put a beehive in you bedroom."

"Hello Ron." Percy did his best to smile at his youngest brother. It fell flat. Ron raised his eyebrows and sat down next to him.

"Seriously Percy, what's up?"

"Well, I'm in a relationship and…" Percy sighed. "Mother will defiantly not approve."

"Why not?"

"Cause it's a threesome both genders are involved."

"Kinky."

The laughter burst out, and had a slightly hysterical, slightly relieved edge. Ron smirked.

"What were you expecting? Brother of mine, I don't care if you're in love with a 30 year old and a crazy vampire, just as long as they make you happy."

"Thank you. Though I think I will avoid insane the insane immortals."

"Sencible. I'm going to see Neville and Harry, can't take Ginny's crazy-ness and the Twins moping anymore. You wanna come? You can sit around and look gloomy and Harry will be soothing at you."

Percy smile, and got to his feet with a roll/flip movement he's seen Harry use and adopted.

"Sounds lovely."

xxxxxxxxx

Severus Snape was stretched out in the sunlight. He shifted slightly, and smiled when the baby sleeping on his chest made a little grumpy noise at the movement.

He had not expected to find happiness. Not after Narcissa was forced to marry Lucius, not after he'd been foolish enough to become a Death Eater and sign that damn contract.

15 years of teaching Potions at Hogwarts. Damn stupid thing to agree to.

He hadn't expected Luciuses death, and he certainly hadn't expected his godson, not 2 years old at the time, to look at him with those eyes that seemed to old and ask why he and hadn't proposed to Narcissa yet.

Miranda and Daniel, the children he hadn't expected to have and saw far less of then he would have liked, were a blessing; he could never treasure Narcissa enough and Indigo, or all his strangeness, seemed as much his child as Daniel or Miranda.

Life was good.

"Aw, you look all cute and cuddly like that."

"Good morning, Miranda."

She laughed and plopped down next to him. Miranda had always been like that, quick to laugh around family, more reserved with those outside of it. She had probably picked the habit up from Indigo, who was always cool towards those he did not know well, and had been Miranda's most adored companion since she had been a baby.

Miranda move one of his arms, and curled up against his side, her head on his shoulder.

"Daddy dearest, I am board."

"Why not go and pester Indigo?"

"He's gone out with Mama. As such, you must tell me a story."

"A story?" he smiled and began. "Once there was a god, who was beautiful and full of pride…"

Lying in the sunshine in the garden of a grand and beautiful house, his youngest son asleep on his chest as he told his daughter the stories his mother had once told him…

Life was so very good.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Alice Longbotton was strapped to the bed, shouting and screaming desperately.

"Let me go! She's out, can't you see it? She's after my son! I have to stop her, have to protect him! Let me go! Letmegoletmegoletmego!"

The orderly sighed. Lady Longbottom had lost her grip on reality on seeing Lord Malfoy in the company of her son, thinking that the young lord was actually his aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange. There were similarities between Lord Malfoy and the insane Lestrange in her youth, certainly. Pictures had been compared and they had the same finely shaped faces, the elegant eyebrows and generous mouths, both had purple in there eyes. There were also obviously not the same person.

"Let me go! I have to help him!"

The orderly sighed again, and shut her ears to the shouting.

xxxxxxx

Sirius listened, his eyes shut. Bellatrix had visitors, it seemed. Who would be visiting his insane cousin after all this time? Narcissa had cut ties after Bella's trial, and the visitor sounded angry…

"Hello Mr Black."

Sirius shaped his eyes open. He hadn't heard anyone approach and his ears were very sharp so-

"Bloody hell! Bella had a kid?"

"No." said the kid, whose gender was highly uncertain, smiling ever so slightly and looking at Sirius interestedly. "Though see does had nieces and nephews. The family resemblance is rather pronounced though."

"Well then kid," Sirius almost winced at the sound of his own voice. He sounded like someone had taken sandpaper to his throat. "you are gorgeous, and you'd better enjoy it because people will freak out once they get over your blond-ness."

"You seen very sane for someone who has spent a decade in Azkaban."

"I got skills Tonks."

"I'm not a Tonks, cousin of mine. Do you spend much time as a dog?"

"What?" Sirius's brain had just short circuited.

"Not a dog then. My bad. Only there's this rat that isn't really a rat. Fat little thing, mousy brow, missing a finger-"

"Pettigrew." Sirius was at the bars in a second. "Where is he?"

A hand was on his forehead, memories flashed before his eyes, and then he jerked away.

"Innocent." Murmured the child, lowering the hand and smiling. "Never given trial, relatively sane, protective as hell and loyal beyond words. Oh, you'll do nicely."

"Bloody Malfoy psychics! What do you mean?"

The child, who was probably a boy, didn't even blink as Sirius snarled at him.

"You'll find out." He stepped away from the bars. "I'll be seeing you Lord Black. Excuse me."

"Damn it!" Sirius grabbed the boy's robes. "Where is Pettigrew? What are you up to?"

"Well he was in my basement." said the boy, taking Sirius's wrist in one hand and forcing its removal from his robes with a thumb nail. "But my sister has a nifler and, well, you can guess the rest. He stole something on the way out, and I'm not best pleased about it. Goodbye."

The boy walked away, joined Narcissa and never once looked back. There was no reaction to Bellatrix's laughter or Sirius's snarl.

"Goddamn bloody Malfoys and their bloody psychic's!"

_Scabber's was broken out by a nifler. Be careful, he was a Death Eater before. _

_Indigo_

_

* * *

_

And next Chapter; 'Gilroy Lockhart Must Die'


	2. Chapter 2

Sum: Sequel to ST. Alice is nuts, Deans powers are growing, Dumbles is acting up, Scabbers had escaped and something is petrifying the students. Thank god there's a loony seer, a camera wielding fanboy and a very sensible young lady to help fight the good(ish) fight. Swearing and mentions of slash and 3soms.

BlakCross1808; Thank you.

devilish girl; Not a bad suggestion. I'll try, but the rest of them are just so fun to play with.

MoonPrincess623; I take that as a compliment, and thry are rather fab arn't they?

BleachLover1521; Thank you!

Holysinner5527; Ron is cool, and Percy has always had potential coolness. Most of the Weasleys do. Sirius is also kinda funky, and fun to mess with.

Tenshi; well, he won't be in Azkabam, but not really free either. Just who kills Lockhart is, as yet, undecided.

digisammiegirl; Alice will be around. It's going to come out, in bits and peices, and then lives before those ones... -falls in to plotting mode- I got plans...

Gnos fo Ytinrete; He's not pathetic, just has no clue how to deal with my boys. Percy rocks, and I wanted Snape to have something sweet and nice. He gets such a hard life in cannon.

LightDarkandChaos; I WILL APOLIGISE FOR MY SPELLING! I WILL APOLIGISE TO THE WORLD!

Jedi Master Holly Black; Yeah, it's gonna be fun.

* * *

'Gilroy Lockhart Must Die'

"Children! We're going to Diagon, get ready!"

The Weasley boys heard their mothers call and set about finding shoes and socks. Ginny heard it, and rushed downstairs, excitement shinning in her eyes.

"We're going? Today? Will Harry be there?"

"I don't know darling, maybe." Molly frowned slightly at Ron, who had just come down the stairs. He stared back. "We shall see. But you'll be getting your wand, Ginny, won't that be wonderful?"

"I wanted Harry to be there…" Ginny pouted, and then rounded on her brothers, her large brown eyes narrowed. "How could you be so useless? There are 4 of you and you can't even keep track of 1 boy!"

Fred and George looked blank, Ron sighed and Percy gave her a sneer that was very nearly worthy of Snape.

"This may come as a terrible shock to you, Ginny, but I have better and more interesting things to do with my time then stalk pre-adolescent boys."

There was a moment of silence. The twins and Ron looked shocked, but proud. Molly looked utterly astounded and Ginny looked exactly like someone had slapped her around the face with a live fish whilst shouting at her in Cantonese.

Note the use of the word exactly. Draw the logical conclusion.

"I'm very glade to hear it." said Arthur Weasley, wandering in and smiling brightly at everyone. "Are we ready to go?"

xxxxxxxxx

"Indigo, Jackie, shoes on please. There is something I think you need to see."

The two boys looked up from their game, which seemed to be some freaky love child of chess, shogi and scrabble, and gazed at him pensively. Indigo tipped his head slightly.

"Don't you mean 'someone' Papa?"

"I really wish you wouldn't do that Indigo."

"I can't help it, you think loudly. Who do we need to meet?"

"The new DADA teacher." said Severus, lip curling, putting fangs on display. Jackie whistled.

"Damn boss, who is it?"

"Gilroy Lockhart."

Cue twin looks of shocked horror.

"I thought he was some sort of weird fashion critic." muttered Indigo.

"Didn't we all? Go put some shoes on."

xxxxxxx

Augusta was swearing.

Neville and Harry exchanged looks, and then poked their heads around the door and peered into her study.

She was sitting at her desk, a letter in one hand, the Daily Prophet in front of her, cursing with surprising savagery and trying to set the newspaper on fire with her glare.

For a moment Neville could see a slim, delicate looking blond man trying to set a stack of papers alight by staring at them, but then he blinked and the image, so familiar but new, slid away.

"Grandma? You okay?"

"Albas Dumbledore has completely taken leave of his senses!"

"That wouldn't surprise me." muttered Harry, stepping into the study. "What has he done, precisely?"

"Hired an imbecile to teach! A complete and utter, god-be-damned moron!"

"Which one?" asked Neville, who had realised fairly early on that much of wizarding society were morons.

"Gi- No. It'll be better if you see him. The Prophet says he's having a press conference today. We're going to Diagon Ally."

xxxxxxxx

"We don't actually have to go in there, do we?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Damn…"

Jackie took Indigo's hand, and sent a wave of wordless support to the dismayed empath. He received a slight smile in return.

"Ah, Jackie, how am I going to cope when you move in with the Twins?"

The noise of the crowd covered Jackie's shocked, spluttered denial, but Indigo had a little smirk that suggested he knew what had been meant, and didn't believe a word of it.

The smirk vanished at their first sight of Gilroy Lockhart.

"Tell me that ain't natural."

"How do you define natural?"

"His teeth just winked at me!"

Jackie, who had lived 14 years in the moderately barbaric society of the fey, 7 years near the complex insanity of Malfoy manor and 3 years in the same dorm as the Weasly twins without any serious damage to his psyche, was utterly traumatised.

xxxxxxx

"Okay, so Mum wanted to see the famous guy. Why did we all have to come along?"

Ron was mildly pissed off. He had never had any major aversion to crowds, but he was developing one at an alarming rate.

"Because she's scary." said George. His eyes were dull, as were Fred's. Just how much the Twins were missing the third part of there trio was both surprising, and alarming.

"Twins." said Percy, who, at 16 was already tall enough to peer over most peoples heads. "I think I saw Jackie over there. Go now, while Mother and Ginny are distracted."

The twins vanished. Ron smiled, and Percy blushed slightly.

"Their moping got boring after a while."

"Didn't it just."

For some reason, perhaps the fond tone to Ron's voice, Percy's blush got deeper.

xxxxxxxx

"Hate crowds…"

"Harry."

"Hate 'em, loath 'em they all need to die… Ow!"

Harry pouted, for Madame Longbottom had grown tired of his muttering and clipped him round the ear.

"No plotting mass murder before witnesses."

She was stared at in mild shock for a few moments. Then her wards realised that yes, she had just said that and wasn't it really rather awesome, and smiled.

"Over there, is your new DADA teacher." said Augusta, pointing inelegantly. "The one with the silly hair and the very well co-ordinated robes."

Neville grimaced. Harry looked slightly pained.

"Maybe the gods will be kind and he'll get some horrible dieses before term starts?"

He did not sound hopeful.

"Oh my, it can't be… Harry Potter?"

The terrible, the horrible, the unthinkable, final proof that the gods were not kind at all, had happened. Gilroy Lockhart had noticed the famous person in the crowd, and promptly grabbed him and hauled him before the cameras.

"Harry came in today…"

Neither Cho Hakkai or Harry Potter had even been given any good explanation of a 'Bad Touch', but he did have considerable time spent around Genjyo Sanzo and Indigo Malfoy. As such, he not only had a fairly good definition of 'Bad Touch' but also knew a highly efficient way of dealing with it.

Harry hit Lockhart in the face with a copy of 'Magical Me' and screamed;

"Get the hell away from me pervert!"

The man stumbled back, blood streaming from his nose.

There was a shocked silence as Harry darted back to the relative safety of Augusta's imposing figure. Then Molly Weasley became an unexpected ally in the war against creepy molesters.

"You disgusting man! How could you?"

"Learned well you have, young padwan." murmured Indigo, appearing at Harry's side. "I'm impressed. Good morning Madame Lonbottom. Hi Neville."

"Hiya Indy."

Indigo looked pained. Harry would have been sympathetic, but was blind-sided by a redheaded girl before he had time to do so.

"HARRY! Are you alright? That horrible man!"

"Huh?"

"He's terrible!"

"Huh?"

Sudden hugging from small girls with a sideline of groping wasn't something Harry had any experience with. Judging by their expressions neither did his companions.

"GINNY! Stop groping him!" yelled Ron, coming to the rescue. "Hells, hasn't he been molested enough for the week?"

"I'm not molesting him!" shrieked Ginny, not letting go of Harry's hips.

Indigo and Augusta snorted in unison at this declaration, and then looked at each other in mild surprise.

"You're molestin' him." said Neville, with blunt finality.

"I certainly feel molested."

They were at the centre of a circle of people now, and the few reporters not shouting at Lockhart were watching them intently.

"Harry, how can you say such a thing?"

"I value honesty, and this seems very much like molestation to me."

"Looks like it as well." commented Indigo, wafting a blue silk fan which, as he was dressed for the summer heat in t-shirt, jeans and flip-flops, raised once more the eternal question of just where he kept his fan. "Back off, Weaslette."

Ginny, perhaps acting on some instinct passed down from her mother, went for him, only to be grabbed and dragged away by an embarrassed Percy and frowning Ron.

One would not guess from Indigo's unruffled expression just how closed Ginny Weasley had been to shattered teeth, though the thunderous expressions of Harry, Neville and Severus Snape were a fairly accurate indication.

"Harry, tell these ladies that-"

Lockhart had flung himself on Harry's shoulders to make his appeal. As a result of this Harry yelped and stomped on the man's left foot while Neville displayed excellent ain with a copy of 'Magical Me', and when Lockhart stumbled back he was set upon by an enraged Madame Longbottom.  
"I really don't like that man." said Harry, seemingly to no one in particular.

But Indigo, who understood the subtext, smiled.

* * *

Next time; Hogwarts and Teaching Assistants


	3. Chapter 3

Sum: Sequel to ST. Alice is nuts, Deans powers are growing, Dumbles is acting up, Scabbers had escaped and something is petrifying the students. Thank god there's a loony seer, a camera wielding fanboy and a very sensible young lady to help fight the good(ish) fight. Swearing and mentions of slash and 3soms.

BlackCross1808; Maybe, it would be fun... No thank you, though it's kind of you to offer

Gnos fo Ytinrete; Actual fangs, more on that later. Poor dear, maybe things will improve, I haven't been totaly happy with this either, Lockhart can drive even Harry to murderous thoughts. As fot the rest, well, most of it is explaine in this chapter. Read!

LightDarkandChaos; Thank you!

Jedi Master Holly Black; Thank you!

Holysinner5527; Wow... Does this mean i can start a cult?

dragon-chic31; Yeah, Indigo is scary but Harry will hold a grudge for ever. Be afraid.

HeavenSentHellBroken; Thanks hun. That makes me happy.

digisammiegirl; Alas, no, shes the loony seer. you have meet the sencible young lady though.

MoonPrincess623; Thank you, I think. First 2 are right, last one is still up in the air. Ron was protecting them from Ginny. I take it you just read Gaiden, then?

* * *

Hogwarts and Teaching Assistants

Dumbledore waited, his finger nails tapping out a slow beat on his desk.

Fawkes shifted and let out a low noise of melancholy exhaustion, and Dumbledore sighed, irritated by the noise. Really, it was the creatures own fault, if it had just supplied the tears when he'd asked none of this would be necessary.

Fawkes moaned again, wings fluttering uselessly against the bars of the too small cage.

Dumbledore rose, picked up the caged phoenix and calmly deposited him in a large cupboard. It wouldn't do for his guest to see the phoenix like this.

He crossed to the window, felt the spark of the alarms and called;

"Come." just as his guest reached the door.

In walked a man, about 5'11, with skin like milk chocolate, hair of a rich, vibrant scarlet and eyes that were not quite red, but distinctly red/purple. Dumbledore had never seen the shade anywhere else.

Kougaiji, the Youkai Wolf King. Age and allegiances unknown.

"Lord Kougaiji, thank you for coming. Please have a seat, would you like some tea?"

"No." said the royal, settling in the chair with a strange, alien grace. "I would like to know why you called me here."

"I have a small request to make. You are aware, I am sure, of the recent fiasco with Gilroy Lockhart."

"I have heard. My sister was quite entertained. But what does it matter? Your public decided it was all a silly mistake rather faster then was sensible, or plausible."

"Whatever do you mean? Gilroy did nothing; I wouldn't have hired him if he was any sort of danger to the students. But the Board of Governors insist that precautions be taken, that there be someone on hand to keep an eye on things. A teaching assistant, of sorts-"

"And you thought of me." Kougaiji frowned at him slightly. "I own you nothing, you owe me if anything. Why should I make time in my busy schedule to teach your children?"

Dumbledore opened a draw and pulled out a envelope. The contents had not been easy to obtain, but he felt that the worries and cost it had taken to get them would be worth while.

"When I was at your palace, so long ago now, I saw a portrait. Very beautiful, and according to a servant very old, almost a thousand years old, though it looked freshly painted…" He broke the seal on the envelope and pushed the photographs across the desk. "You can imagine my surprise when I noticed that several of my own students bore quite striking resemblances to the people depicted in that portrait…"

4 pictures. Harry Potter, smiling slightly at someone just off the edge of the photo, his green eyes shining. Ron Weasley, gazing out of a window with his chin on his hand, the light highlighting his scars and the red in his eyes. Draco Malfoy, looking straight at the camera and frowning, that one had giving the photographer quite a scare. Neville Longbottom leaning against a tree and smiling brilliantly at nothing.

Kougaiji inspected them all, then closed his eyes and sighed.

"I will teach for a term, after that we shall re-negotiate."

Dumbledore did not let his displeasure show, despite how inconvenient the arrangement was.

"Wonderful, I shall have the elves arrange your rooms-"

"And you still owe me." added Kougaiji, his eyes watchful and full of shadows.

Dumbledore was swearing on the inside, but it didn't show on the outside.

Xxxxxxx

Harry woke, in the middle of the night, to find a house elf in a neat pillow case bouncing lightly on his bed and muttering to itself.

"Excuse me?"

"Harry Potter must not go back to Hogwarts!"

Harry paused for a moment, considering. He then decided that in situations such as these manners were both unnecessary and counterproductive, and was blunt.

"What the hell are you talking about man?"

"There is things to be happening! Terrible things! You-Know-Who is to be r-r-r-rising again! H-harry Potter w-will be in m-most terrible danger!"

"Nothing new there." muttered Harry, squinting at the elf, seeking details, and pondering on the unusually high numbers of people with inconsistent stutters he meet. "You're a Malfoy elf aren't you? What is Indigo- Oh."

The elf had flinched at the name.

"He doesn't know you're hear." said Harry, shocked. "You came of your own violation, but why? He would have listened to you."

"M-master L-luicus ordered Dobby." whispered the elf, swaying slightly, a vacant look in his eyes. "O-orders and m-magics, to never speak a w-word of it in t-the manor. But Harry potter is n-not being in the m-manor, Dobby was t-thinking…"

Harry rolled out of bed, tucked Dobby under one arm and left his room, heading for the floo connected fireplace in the drawing room.

It was 4:30am. The moon was bright, the rooms cool and the lamps unlit. Dobby was a warm, unresisting lump against his side. Indigo would, in all likelihood, still be awake, absorbed in some complex bit of runework and insensible to all else.

Sometimes his highly irregular sleep patens had advantages.

Xxxxxxxx

Malfoy manor was also dark and cool, but far less empty then the Longbotton manor as the fey that dwelt on the grounds roamed the corridors at night, just in case there was some would-be intruder that was unfortunate enough to get past the wards.

They recognised Harry, and directed him to Indigo's workroom when he asked where to find the lord of the house, and advised him that going in would not be the best idea, and that he might be wisest to return later.

Harry accepted this, and ignored the advice. He had a semi-comatose house elf in his arms and was prepared to risk the explosions of a failed runework and Indigo's anger to find out what was going on.

The door was locked, and the keyhole was nowhere to be seen. Harry hummed the tune that would lower the illusion over the keyhole, and fashioned a key from the water vapour in the air.

He opened the door a crack, sighed in relief when nothing exploded, and walked in.

"What poisons have the consistency of ink?" asked Indigo absently, not looking up. He smiled when Harry named several. "That's precisely why Papa wants you to take your potions OWL early Harry, you're a prodigy, like it or not."

For a moment Harry's green gaze meet Indigo's, whose eyes held more purple then they last month, it seemed. Then the blond looked to his elf.

"What have you done, Dobby?"

"W-warning, H-had to know…"

Harry handed Indigo the shacking elf wordlessly, carefully avoiding the runes painted on the scroll open on the desk. It looked like normal ink, but…

Indigo was singing, some shapeless, spine-tingling lullaby that would have been disturbing from anyone, but in Indigo's voice, with it's unearthly purity of tone and sweetness, it was downright creepy. His finger tips just brushed the tips of Dobby's ears, and the elf seemed to have fallen asleep.

"If I had known about this, I would have killed my farther considerably more painfully then I did." said Indigo darkly. "We must more carefully this year Ari, its Voldemort, but not as we know him, and he will come to Hogwarts. Just as soon as he has Pettigrew under his control."

"You found all that in Dobby's mind?"

"House elf magic is strange stuff."

"Ah. Lockhart?"

"The masses are fools, and Dumbledore is a pest."

"Then I shall have my doormat yet. Goodnight Indigo."

"Goodnight."

Had Harry looked back on his departure, he would have seen the considering look in Indigo's eyes. But he didn't, and wouldn't have worried even if he had. They trusted each other. Indigo wouldn't harm him.

Xxxxxxx

"Hey Luna, Indigo."

"Hello Ronald." said the silver eyed girl in her normal dreamy tones. "Did you find that giant rabbit?"

"'Fraid not." replied Ron, entering the compartment that the blonds had claimed as their own. "You know each other?"

"Cousins on my father's side." said Indigo, who was gazing absently out the window at the rapidly vanishing countryside. "Neville is with Hannah and Susan. Harry is watching Jackie and Hazel argue about fictional vampires."

"Actually I was looking for you. I heard that Lockhart was still teaching-"

"He's Harry's doormat, Jackie wants to make his teeth into a necklace and Yuki keeps talking about pink dye. You don't stand a chance."

Ron pouted, and Luna provided her own unique brand of sympathy and told him about a mound in Cornwall she and her father had found that was populated by a species of tiny blue men.

This was rather pleasant, so Ron was slightly annoyed when a tall Slytherin girl whose name he didn't know stalked in looking aggravated.

"Malfoy, why are your stalkers shouting at each other about Buffy the Vampire Slayer? And who is she, or he, anyway?"

"Muggle T.V program in which all of the interesting characters are at least slightly evil and the heroine and title character is a bimbo who should have been eaten already."

"And they are arguing about it, why?"

"Because vampires don't sparkle." chorused Indigo and Luna, then smirked at each other.

"It's some weird muggle thing isn't it?"

"I'm afraid so Miss Bulstrode."

She nodded as though she should have known this all along, and swept out.

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer?" echoed Ron. Indigo shrugged.

"Don't ask me. My t-shirt had Armand on it and he's from a series of books."

"I chose Claudia." said Luna.

"We are suitably freaked out Luna."

Ron decided there and then that he didn't want to know.

Xxxxxxx

The students entered the Great Hall in disorganised groups under the watchful gaze of the teachers.

4 boys almost froze as they noticed someone among the staff whom they had assumed to be long dead.

Ron looked to Harry. Neville looked to Indigo. Harry and Indigo looked at each other, their hands brushed and Indigo nodded. They then all went to their respective table without a word.

Their friends, distracted by other things, barely noticed. Kougaiji, with his youkai sharp eyes and reasons to watch them, did and for a moment thought that these were not just possible reincarnations of his old friends/enemies but the Sanzo cohort themselves, returned in new bodies.

It hurt.

Xxxxxxx

Ron was pacing, Neville kept twitching and Harry was very, very still.

It was 00:15, they were in a classroom that hadn't been used in years, as agreed, and Indigo was late.

Finally the door opened, and their blond leader slipped in.

"What the hell took you so long?" hissed Ron, furious.

"The conference took longer then I expected." replied Indigo. "It seems that Kougaiji Houton is the first assistant professor in a very long time, and while it is agreed that he was hired to keep an eye on Lockhart no-one has a clue who he is or where he came from. But everyone has an opinion."

"Is, is he our Kougaiji?" asked Neville, clearly on the verge of a panic attack. Harry crossed to the brunet and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"I don't know." Indigo shrugged. "We never found out who long youkai live and I assume that a royal would be a bit different anyway. It is conceivable that this is the same Kougaiji that we knew 1000 years ago."

"But you cannot be certain." murmured Harry, absently petting Neville's hair. "He would have changed a great deal in such a span of time, and he would be king now…" He glanced to Indigo, who had survived them all and would know.

Indigo just nodded, a steely gleam in his eyes.

"He could not know of our return, even if it is our Kougaiji." continued Harry. "If he looks for us at all, it is for our reincarnations. That he is here indicates a connection to Dumbledore…"

Ron would have hit a desk, but Indigo grabbed his wrist, and stemmed the coming snarl with a hand over his mouth.

"Sprout is headed this way." he whispered, Harry tipped his head and then nodded, and a moment later Ron and Neville sensed the approaching chi. They held silence until the herbology teacher was out of earshot, then the discussion resumed.

"What we gonna do?" asked Neville.

"Nothing." said Harry, sighing. "Not until we know more."

"I'm not good at being patient." said Ron.

"Improve quickly." snapped Indigo. "We do nothing until we know who he is and why he is here."

Ron scowled, Indigo glared back.

"You are not going to argue, cockroach, not now and not about this."

Ron looked to Harry for support, found now, knew that Neville wouldn't fight Indigo about anything that was actually important and gave up.

"Yes sir." The title tasted bitter on his tongue, even though Indigo had earned it, in each life. "What about Lockhart?"

"He's my doormat, but feel free to torment him." stated Harry. "I expect I'll be to busy to make his life really miserable, so it is now Open Season on the pervert. Have fun."

Despite everything, Ron grinned to hear that.

* * *

And next time; Watching and Waiting


	4. Chapter 4

Sum: Sequel to ST. Alice is nuts, Deans powers are growing, Dumbles is acting up, Scabbers had escaped and something is petrifying the students. Thank god there's a loony seer, a camera wielding fanboy and a very sensible young lady to help fight the good(ish) fight. Swearing and mentions of slash and 3soms.

Extra warning; More swearing then normal in this one.

Thank you to HevenSentHellBroken who pointed out my glaring errors to me, and so must be thanked for getting them fixed.

BlackCross1808; I get the feeling that i've been rude... Thank you for the coment though!

MoonPrincess623; 'Cause they died an' he missed them! indigo is ploting, he's a Slytherin, it's what he's good at.

LightDarkChaos; Don't we all, my duck, don't we all...

Tenshi; Eh, they have a complicated relationship. More on that later.

lunas twin; Yes she did, you wonderful person! Only one to get that referance!

FallenHope-Angel; Yes he will, cause is amuses me. Pranks on Lockharts start this chapter.

HeavenSentHellBroken; Thank you!

Holysinner5527; But i don't wanna be Jesus... I'd have to get a false bread and that would suck... Thank you!

kitsunkuruoshii; Look! An update!

* * *

Watching and Waiting

Harry's first DADA lesson was on the first day of term, and was shared with the Huffelpuffs.

He was sandwiched between Hannah and Neville, with Hazel and Susan behind him and Tracy, an army in her own person, sat upfront to head Lockhart off at the first sign of trouble.

Harry had not arranged this; he suspected that Susan was responsible.

"Good morning students!" cooed Lockhart, flouncing in and beaming at them. His teeth sparkled. Susan twitched and Neville weighed a book with one hand.

"So good to meet you all." said Lockhart, and did his eyes linger on Harry's scar? "Now, I'm not sure what level you are all at, so I have devised a quiz to find out!"

He waved a stack of papers and smiled charmingly. A few of the less sensible students looked a little star struck as the parchments hit their desks.

They read the first question. The majority of the class twitched violently.

"Ya got some matches?" asked Neville, glowering at the test.

"Leave pyromania to those that do it best Neville." replied Harry softly, turning the page. His expression didn't change in the slightest. The ink well on Lockhart's desk exploded, liberally splattering the man.

"Eek! My robes!" Lockhart didn't seem to notice the many disgusted looks he received. "Do your papers! I'll be back!"

He dashed out.

Susan spat on the floor.

"That man is unfit to teach." said Hazel darkly.

"Yes, he is." agreed Tracy. "All in favour of following an interesting little muggle custom known as 'going on strike' and leavening say aye."

Almost everyone did so.

"Off we go then." said Tracy, scrunching up her paper and dropping it on the floor before tipping over her desk and walking out.

Many desks were tipped over, a pile of papers swiftly developed, though Harry pocketed his, and Hannah, who seemed to have some pyromaniac tendencies, set fire to them on the way out.

Xxxxxxxxx

Kougaiji raised his head as his co-worker dashed past him, ink stained and looking panicked.

"You should be with the students."

"Oh, they'll be fine, but my robes! The state of them!"

Kougaiji sighed, and he got up, heading for Lockharts classroom. If there was one thing he had learned during his 1531 years of life it was that children were viscous little buggers with a capacity for destruction equal to that of any Dark Lord and should never be left alone.

When he reached the class room he found a great deal of desks on their sides and a smoking pile of embers.

He picked up a sheet of parchment, read what was on it and tossed it onto the embers with a curled lip. No wonder the kids had left.

Xxxxxxxx

Harry caught up with Indigo at lunch, and filled the blond's plate with lasagne while he was reading the test paper.

Indigo scowled at the paper, and then scowled a bit harder at his plate.

"You cannot expect me to eat all of that."

"I can and I do." said Harry, handing Indigo a fork. "When is your first Lockhart lesson?"

"First thing tomorrow." replied Indigo, digging into his food.

"So, you could make a really, interesting first impression?"

"Oh yes." Indigo smirked. "Mind if I keep this? I may need evidence."

"Are you planning to call on some sort of Slytherin solidarity?"

"Say anymore and I'll have to kill you. Eat your lunch."

Harry obediently loaded his plate.

"Are you planning to get Ron involved?"

"No, I can't get anywhere near him without the Weaslette trying to kill me. You attract very freaky stalkers."

Harry considered the last stalker he'd gotten, and couldn't object.

Xxxxxxxx

Yuki had talked to Tracy, who talked to Hermione who talked to Ron. As such he, Hermione and Dean turned up for Lockhart's lesson in rebellious teenager mode. Shirts were un-tucked, ties hung low, and robes were missing entirely. There was a certain amount of eyeliner involved, and Hermione's hair was back in the way that made her look like an assassin.

The word was out. Lockhart was an asshite. If we look scary we may just get him to piss himself. Be punk, be Goth, be nasty, and if you're a Slytherin be very, very late.

"Good morning stu- Shouldn't there be more of you?"

The star stuck goggled, the rest stared insolently. The sound of chanting came from out side and seemed to be heading closer.

The door was opened by Crabbe, who was wearing a monks robe with a Slytherin tie for a belt. He was followed by someone dressed much the same but with their hood up who was doing the chanting and swinging an incense burner. They were followed by Goyle, who closed the door after himself. Crabbe pulled out a chair for the chanter, who rested the incense burner in the desk, finished the chant and then sat down, pushing the hood back to show Millicent Bulstrode. Her golden brown hair was clipped back from her face and her dark hazel eyes were stern. Crabbe and Goyle claimed desks on either side of her.

The class had not yet recovered from this when Pansy Parkinson stormed in; she was wearing knee high platform boots, fishnet tights and a shot, black dress with long sleeves and a corset style bodice. Theodore Nott followed her, in similar boots, black cargo pants, black top and a studded collar. The both had their ties knotted around the left thigh. They stamped to unclaimed desks, thumped down and glared at everyone through heavily made-up eyes.

Ron grinned.

Wild laughter came from outside, and Flare danced in. Half of his face was painted white, and he wore a suit and top hat but no shoes or socks. He laughed again as Yuki walked in, splendid in a Greek style tunic, sandals and leather arm guards, her head held up and back by a silvery circlet with a crescent moon on it. Flare pulled out a chair for her, and then crouched on a desk at the back, grinning insanely at everyone.

"Artemis the Huntress and Baron Samedi, a voodoo god." hissed Hermione. "Brilliant. Who's next?"

"We're waiting on Indigo and two girls I don't know." replied Ron. "They're twins I think."

Right on cue Indigo, dressed as a ninja and so only recognisable by a lock of blond hair that had escaped his head scarf and his unusual grace, slipped in. He then held the door open for a pair of auburn haired geisha in deep green kimonos and silver obi.

The geisha produced sake saucers and poured each other a drink for a ceramic bottle. Indigo claimed the desk next to Baron Samedi and sat on it in the Lotus position.

Lockhart, faced with scruffy Gryffindors, Slytherins in crazy costumes and entirely too much eyeliner, gapped for a moment. He then glanced at Pansy's short skirt and Yuki's short tunic, gulped and rallied.

"Right, now you're all here-"

Millicent started chanting again.

"-though some of you are rather late-"

Crabbe and Goyle joined the chant and Lockhart's voice was lost under the noise. A few minutes later all three of the chanters stopped suddenly.

"-Shut up you-"Lockhart blinked and flushed unattractively. "What was all that about?"

"This is the day of changes." intoned Millicent, staring at him. "We must heed the ancient rites."

"Not in my class you don't."

The geisha snapped their fans open and chattered to each other worriedly in Twin Speech. The Goths glowered. Artemis shook her head. Baron Samedi and the ninjas clicked their tongues.

"It is our duty. We must preserve the balance for the times to come." Millicent rose slowly to her feet, her minions copying her. "You would have us fall to chaos?"

"Heretic." growled Goyle.

"Repent." snarled Crabbe.

Baron Samedi beat out a threatening rhythm on his desk, Artemis joined in with a counter beat, the Goths started humming, one of the geisha pulled out a flute and the other started singing a distinctly unsettling song with the ninja.

Lockhart, faced with scowling 12 year olds, a girl who didn't seem to blink enough and some deeply freaky music, lost his nerve and fled.

Lavender Brown and Pavatie Patile looked horrified.

The Slytherins stopped the music, Millicent smirked and the trolls lumbered over to Nott and stood their looking gormless. Ron started clapping.

Flare laughed, tipped his hat to the Gryffindors and danced over to Millicent before bowing.

"M'lady, if you didn't scare me so much I'd ask you to marry me."

"You performed magnificently." agreed Indigo, pulling off the mask. "Carrows, the use of Twin Speak was inspired. But, we must prepare for stage two. Reverse transfigurations people."

There was a chorus of 'Finate incantums', some swift reorganisation of clothing and make up removed with muggle facial wipes, which were then handed to the Gryffindors with instructions to lose the eyeliner and tidy themselves up.

A window was opened to release the smell of incense.

Xxxxxxx

Professors McGonagall and Houton were not at all pleased to be dragged away from easy plans and marking by a distraught Lockhart, who was raving about scary 12 year old monks and evil geisha. They were even less pleased to find a classroom full of Gryffindors and Slytherins who were behaving as well as could be expected when the houses were left alone together.

Parkinson was screaming at Brown, Finnegan was being pummelled by Crabbe and Goyle and Malfoy and Weasley were playing poker, and cheating outrageously.

"But-but they were-!"

"Lockhart!"

Kougaiji left McGonagall to deal with the idiot and crouched down to watch the poker players.

Weasley _–Gojyo, damnit, they even had the same scars- _stared at him for a moment, looking interested, and was that recondition in his eyes?

"Straight royal flush."

"What?!" Weasley whipped around to stare at his opponent. "No way! How'd you pull that?!"

"I'm just that good." said Malfoy, smirking.

"WHY?!"

"I play card games with Harry."

"Not that! Why are we playing for sweets?! You don't even like sweets!"

"No, I don't." agreed Malfoy, claiming his sweets with a perfectly deadpan expression. "I just find your horror amusing."

Weasley made a little noise of distress and turn eyes that were almost the colour of blood to Kougaiji.

"There has to be a rule against this, surely!"

"Interestingly, no, I don't think there is." He settled next to them and watched impassively as Weasley demanded they play another hand, which he promptly lost and was forced to admit defeat as he was out of candy. "Why do I get the feeling that someone in this group has pulled a rather spectacular mind fuck on Professor Lockhart?"

"Language sir." said the blond absently. "You'll set a bad example."

"Answer the question."

"Can't think where you got the idea sir." commented Weasley.

"Other then the fact that not even Lockhart is quite this stupid and the smell of lavender incense? Several of you are still wearing kohl."

"I told you it wouldn't come off." said a girl, her frizzy hair pulling free of a braid.

"Granger!" said a pair of auburn haired girls, scolding.

"There goes the deniability." sighed Weasley.

"Mm. Do you object, Professor Houton?"

Malfoy pronounced his name perfectly, the way a native of China would. Reincarnation or not, that was wrong, the boy was English born and raised, he shouldn't speak like that.

"No. But don't tell, I'll get in trouble." He glanced at the cards Malfoy, an entirely too perfect copy of Sanzo, was shuffling. "Do you know how to play kadis-kot?"

"Nope."

"I've never heard of it."

"I'll teach you the rules."

Xxxxxxxx

If Indigo's fingers brushed Kougaiji's more often then was normal during the game, or Ron spent an awful lot of time flirting with an unimpressed Millicent, no one commented.

Xxxxxxxxx

"Morning brats." said Kougaiji, wandering into his classroom and waving at the Huffelpuffs and Ravenclaws. "Put your wands away, and shoes off. First rule of my lessons, no shoes on the mats."

The 2nd years blinked; glanced at the padded mats they were standing on, then shrugged and removed their shoes.

"Good ducklings. Anyone with training in physical combat raise a hand." Tracy, Susan, Neville and Harry raised their hands, and were given looks of mild surprised by everyone else. Kougaiji sighed. "Less then I had hoped… Yes, Huffelpuff-whose-name-I-don't-know, what is it?"

"Why would we need that sort of training?" asked the boy, blushing slightly. "We're magical."

"You aren't allowed to do magic out of school, and if you lost your wands some grumpy muggle could easily kick the shit out of you."

There was a sceptical silence. Kougaiji sighed again.

"This is why I hate your culture…. You two." He pointed at Neville and Harry. "Up, you just volunteered to demonstrate."

They stated at him for a moment, the got to their feet, moved away from the rest of the class and slipped into fighting stances.

"Begin."

Neville charged and leapt, Harry dropped and grabbed an ankle as it went past. Neville hit the floor, lashed out with the other foot and bother were back on their feet with in seconds.

Kougaiji mentally gave points for speed and reflexes, and added a point to the 'Why these kids are way to like the Cohort' list.

Neville attacked again. Harry went for pressure points. The seemed to be fairly evenly matched.

Then Neville tripped over the edge of a mat, lost what little balance he had when Harry kicked his shin, hit the floor and was promptly sat upon.

"That's mean." pouted Neville.

"But effective. Surrender?"

"Just did."

Harry got up and helped Neville to his feet. The class slowly started clapping.

"Very good." murmured Kougaiji, thoughtful. "Bow!"

They did so, bowing in the Asian fashion. Another point for the list. They then settled down with the rest of the group.

"Quiet!" the excited chatter cut out. "Is my point proven?"

"Yessir!"

"Good. Up! Today you are going to learn about footwork, which is why the Huffelpuff lost, by the way."

Neville looked quietly gloomy.

Xxxxxxxx

"He suspects something." stated Harry.

"He's our Kougaiji." muttered Indigo, fingers going to his mouth but pulled away by Neville before the blond could bite his nails. "But he's connected to Dumbledore."

"So, we're screwed." summarised Ron, before grabbing Indigo's other hand. "Stop it! You don't bite your nails, damnit, you get manicures!"

"Excuse me for picking up on it when every single damn person here wants to chew their damn nails" And I do not get manicures!"

"You are not telling me those are natural!"

"They're called nail files, perhaps you've heard of them?"

"We ain't all pretty girls …" Ron realised what he'd just said, and paled.

"That can change." replied Indigo, smiling.

Neville and Harry stepped back, and Ron, self preservation instincts kicking in a minute to late, turned and fled. Indigo gave him a few seconds head start and then followed at high speeds.

"Is Ron going to die?" asked Neville, his tone holding nothing more then mild interest.

"It's quite possible."

Xxxxxxxx

Dean hadn't been going anywhere in particular, just wandering in some of Hogwarts less used halls. As such he was rather surprised when Ron charged down the corridor with an expression of deep fear on his face.

"Ron?"

"Sorrycan'tstopFleaingInTerror!"

Dean blinked, swaying slightly as pictures flashed before his eyes. The long haired man, laughing, the short haired man, drunk, a teenager with blood red wings-

"Don't stand in the middle of the corridor!"

Indigo, unable to stop in time, jumped, kicked of a wall and flipped himself over Deans head, one hand on the artists shoulder.

The shorter haired man, sleeping, the long haired man, smiling sadly, a young teen with dove grey wings-

"Dean, you don't look so good."

Neville, concerned, the short haired teen, determined, the boy, smiling, a young teen with tawny gold wings-

"Oh dear."

Harry, slight frown, short haired man, odd smile, longer haired man, running, teenager with black wings-

Xxxxxxxx

Indigo stumbled, one had going to his forehead, and almost hit a wall.

"Dean, you are starting to freak me out."

Xxxxxxx

"Are you alright?" asked Harry, looking at Dean with gentle concern. "You were very pale for a moment."

"This whole psychic thing is highly over rated." replied Dean, rubbing his temples. "You don't know anyone with black wings do you?"

"I'm afraid not."

"No, that would be too simple wouldn't it…"

Xxxxxxxx

Kougaiji eyed his students with some surprise. Almost all of them had their hair in practical styles and none of them were wearing shoes.

"Is this some sort of year wide solidarity in action?"

"No. This is the work of Harry Potter." stated Millicent Bulstrode.

"Huh. Everyone with training in physical combat…"

All Slytherins other then Parkinson, Nott and Millicent raised their hands, so did Ron and Hermione.

Nott looked sulky.

"Why would we need that? We're wizards."

"Your house is supposed to be smarted then that." snapped Kougaiji, frowning at the boy. "This is most disappointing. You and you. You're demonstrating."

Indigo shrugged and got to his feet. Ron went pale.

"Can I surrender now?"

"Not yet."

They stood for a moment, eyeing each other. Then Ron, at no clear signal, went for the blond, who dodged easily and made a good attempt at kicking Ron in the back of the head.

That to was dodged, and the boys circled each other, moving lightly on the balls other their feet. Ron attacked again, darting close before swinging back for a roundhouse kick. Indigo just bent backwards at the hips and went into a back flip. Kougaiji recognised both moves. The kick had been a favourite of Goku's that Gojyo also used and the flip was one of Sanzo's tricks.

They circled again, moving faster this time, Indigos hair was coming lose, and Ron was developing a bruise on his jaw where he hadn't been able to dodge a foot in time. Ron attacked again, and after a short scuffle involving some really nasty use of elbows he ended up half sprawled over his opponent, Indigos wrists pinned over his head.

"Any of my stalkers would kill to be were you are now." mused Indigo, seemingly untroubled by his vulnerable position.

Ron twitched and moved back slightly. This gave Indigo all the room he needed to twist in a way that most would have found impossible, and heel kick the Weasley in the side of the head.

"Oh man. That was evil as hell." muttered Ron, now on the floor beside Indigo with his hand over the rapidly forming bruise. "Just had to bring that up didn't you."

"Whatever works." replied the blond, getting to his feet. "Now surrender or I'll stomp on your groin."

"I surrender, oh mighty and scary demon spawn, I totally surrender."

"Good insect."

"I hate you."

"Well I'm glade you can say that baby, because we wouldn't want our little Ronnikins to grow up to be a liar now would we?"

"I hate Fred and George as well."

"Fascinating." said Kougaiji, hiding his amusement behind a dead pan expression. "Anyone know why Weasley lost?"

"He forgot that he was fighting Indigo." sighed Granger, shaking her head slowly. "Which one must never do, for he is cleaver and flexible and moderately ruthless."

"Very true." agreed Zambini, utterly serene.

Kougaiji raised an eyebrow at Indigo, who smirked.

"Alright, my slightly freaky students, lets talk about psychological warfare, shall we?"

* * *

Next time; Confused Dogs and the Munchkin Army


	5. Chapter 5

Sum: Sequel to ST. Alice is nuts, Deans powers are growing, Dumbles is acting up, Scabbers had escaped and something is petrifying the students. Thank god there's a loony seer, a camera wielding fanboy and a very sensible young lady to help fight the good(ish) fight. Swearing and mentions of slash and 3soms.

BlackCross1808; Thank you!

MoonPrincess623; Well, they had just seen a demonstration of its uses. They're new, or really really old, sort of. More on them later.

Holysinner5527; Jesus is cool, just so long as i don't have to be a guy. Thank you!

Gnos fo Ytinrete; Cheers! Not sure about the power levels, Sanzo got youkai-afied to about Hakkai-minus-limiters level but he's really just very fast, and they're all currently mostly human. Ron is a bit bigger and stronger then Indigo at the moment, but Indigo is fast and mean which gives him the advantage.

Tenshi; Well, i'd rather you didn't but i expect they'd escape anyway, sooner or later so you can if you really want to...

HevenSentHellBroken; Most humble apoligise, honored reviewer-sama, I'll work harder on getting the woprds right this time. Hope you had a happy birthday. Yeah, canon sort of went out the window a while back, but that the point of fanfiction, right? It's fun this way, and i adore my Hermione!

LightDarkandChaos; Meh, dunno, we'll see what happens.

FallenHope-Angel; Thank you!

Ashuri92; Thank you!

* * *

Confused Dogs and the Munchkin Army

Lockhart was chattering away to the 1st years without saying anything of worth. He had been doing this for a while now.

And then an army of tiny blue men erupted from his desk.

"Crivens!"

"Ach! Tha's a shinny bigjob!"

"Gort enorrrmous teeth."

"What-what are you?!" squeaked Lockhart, not even noticing as Colin Creavy took photos.

"Ah'll be havin' those." said one of the tiny blue men.

"Winguardium Leviosa!"

Several of the blue men started floating. The rest attacked.

"Ye'll tak' tha' high road an' Ah'll tak' yer' wallet!"

"Stick it up yer trakkens!"

"They can tak' ooour lives but they cannae tak' ooour troousers!"

Lockhart was swamped and beaten to a pulp, the entire even was well documented thanks to Colin's camera.

Luna Lovegood smiled.

Xxxxxxxxx

Sirius Black was, to put it mildly, perplexed.

He had been removed from his cell, aloud to have a shower two days early and handed over to the aurors, his wrists and ankles chained.

He had expected to be given to the Dementors and Kissed. Instead he had been taken off the island and was now locked in a reasonably comfortable cell in the Ministry building with a pot of tea and a curry. It was warm and dry, the food was good and the bed was relatively comfortable. Sirius was reasonably certain that he was dreaming.

The door opened and a slim, pretty Asian woman stepped into the room. She wore attractive but professional robes and had a direct, no-nonsense stare. Sirius liked her instinctively.

"Lord Black." She walked over briskly and shook his hand. "My name is Annika Kurosaki, until this mess is sorted out I'm your lawyer."

"Pleasure to meet you. Though I know I didn't hire you…"

"Then you have a benefactor, Lord Black, be glad of it. I would like to ask you a few question, may I?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"Thank you." She set up a Records Quill, the accurate version of a Quick Quotes Quill and stared at him. "Did you betray the Potter family to the Dark Lord?"

"No."

"Were you, at any point, a Death Eater?"

"No."

"Did you kill Peter Pettigrew?"

"No, though not for lack of trying."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Was Peter Pettigrew the Potters Secret Keeper? Was it him who betrayed them to the Dark Lord?"

"Yes." growled Sirius. "He did. He's still alive."

"Ah." She looked thoughtful, but did not contest the statement. "How, difficult. You shall hear from me within a few days, Lord Black. Is there anyone you would like to contact in the mean time?"

"Harry Potter and Remus Lupine."

"The later will be contacted. I must ask about your reasons for wishing to speak to Mr Potter."

"I haven't seen my godson in over a decade, Miss Kurosaki."

"I see. Good day to you, Lord Black." She headed for the door, and then hesitated. "This is, ah, slightly rude of me but… Did you really try to feed Severus Snape to a werewolf?"

"No! Well, sort of... I was trying to prove that he was a vampire and things got out of hand..."

She raised her eyebrows and left. Sirius flopped back on his bed.

"First sane person I've talked to in years and that just has to come up…"

He gazed at the ceiling without really seeing it. Who was his benefactor? Why act now, so long after his imprisonment? Why act at all?

...Thoughtfull purple/blue eyes, cool hands, _"You'll do nicely."_

Bloody Malfoy psychics!

Xxxxxxx

"Yo. Hide me, please."

Harry blinked up at Ron, and then moved to let him sit between him and a tiny Slytherin girl with skin like hot chocolate.

"You look frazzled." observed Harry. "Whatever is the matter?"

"Just had a Lockhart lesson. Tights are really uncomfortable."

"I fail to see the connection." stated the tiny girl.

"Until recently, neither did I. What are you doin' at this table, little snake?"

"Look who's talking Gryffindor. I'm plotting Lockhart's demise, and fending off stalkers." She sneered at him. "Mainly your sister. I'm Alysandra, the Commander of the Munchkin Army."

"Cool… Harry?"

"I recruited Luna and Colin to help deal with your sister and make life difficult fpr Lockhart." explained Harry. "They recruited Alysandra and Eric, a Huffelpuff who is pretty much what would be created if Susan and Indigo raised a child together, and they recruited some other first years. Colin named the group the Munchkin Army."

"Huh." Ron blinked, and then grinned at Alysandra. "Pleased to meet you Commander. I'm Ron Weasley."

"Hi. Now, how to Lockhart and uncomfortable tights connect?"

"Well, we have it out for Lockhart as well and today's mind fuck involved everyone cross-dressing."

"Indigo came up with that?" Harry was sceptical.

"No, the Carrows did. Pray that they never join forces with our Nutter's."

"Our Nutter's..?"

"Fred, Jackie and George. They can no longer be called Jackie and the Twins as they have merged into a single unit that becomes unstable if any part of the whole is removed. I expect them to confess their love for each other before the term is out; Susan refused to take money to this effect as she doesn't take sucker bets. I suspect Indigo involvement."

"Never bet against the empath." said Alysandra wisely. "Continue the descriptions of the mind fuck, Weasley boy."

"Sure. We're all cross-dressing, 'cept Brown who wouldn't so Mille stuck her to the ceiling. Lockhart comes in an' has a little freak out. We all act like he's gone nuts. He calms down after a while, and then he notices Brown. We tell him the Leonard Brown is sitting where he always sits." Ron smirked. "Lockhart goes for the cavalry. By the time he gets back with McGonagall we're dressed as normal, Brown's down off the ceiling, and everyone's on standard Slytherin/Gryffindor behaviour."

"Fighting and stealing each other belongings you mean." murmured Harry disapprovingly.

Alysandra and Ron Nodded unrepentantly.

"I don't think the boss kitty was too pleased about that."

"No little snake, she was not."

"Score 1 for Slytherin ingenuity." said Alysandra, smirking.

"May it never be turned upon us." agreed Harry.

Xxxxxxxx

Kougaiji had, out of necessity, reorganised his lessons. Instead of age classes were now based on ability. The entire timetable had been forcefully rearranged to accommodate this, which had caused great displeasure among the other teachers until they realised that if _he_ could do it, so could they.

Half the school had been put back a year in potions and herbology. Hermione, Hazel, the Nutter's, Tracy, Harry, Susan, Percy, Indigo and Yuki had gone up a year in everything but Herbology. Harry was under pressure to take his potions OWL during the Christmas holiday, Flare and Millicent were in 4th year herbology, Neville was in 5th year hebology, and Indigo had talked his way into Ancient Runes.

Dumbledore was completely livid at this turn of events and was sulking in his office, leaving the running of the school in McGonagall's capable hands. Although, this may have been because an army of tiny blue men had invaded his office, broken all his twinkly things and stolen his sherbet lemons.

Interestingly, Hogwarts was running far more efficiently now, as half of the 7th years had taken their NEWT's early and left forever. The fact that no-one attended Lockhart's lessons anymore, unless they had a new way to mess with his brain, may have helped as well.

The parents who had been informed of this, mostly by children who were taking exams early, had mixed feelings about it all.

Xxxxxxx

"Remus…"

Tired amber eyes meet wide grey, and smiled slightly.

"Hello Sirius."

"You came…" Sirius stared, amazed joy written all over his face. "You really came! It was a full moon last night! You must be exhausted, why aren't you resting?! You'll catch a cold" You'll get ill! You'll-you'll-" He waved his arms wildly for a moment. "Rraagghh!"

For the first time in far too long, Remus Lupine laughed, after a few seconds Sirius joined in.

The guard on the door peered in at the two men, and privately concluded that they were both a little bit mad.

Xxxxxxx

Jackie was standing before a window, in his pyjamas, arms spread wide and face turned up to the moon.

"It's autumn, child, aren't you cold?"

"Um, no, not really. Hi professor."

Kougaiji stepped into the moonlight and checked Jackie's temperature with the back of one hand, and then shrugged.

"Well, alright then. What are you doing? And why aren't any of your group with you with you?"

"They don't really see the attraction boss, 'cept Indigo who hates being cold too much to come moon bathing after summer. But it's such a beautiful night…"

"True." mused Kougaiji, gazing out at the moonlit grounds. "Though you are out after curfew."

Jackie blinked at him, expression one of utter amazement.

"There's a curfew?"

Kougaiji raised an eyebrow, firmly suppressing a smile. Jackie nodded slowly.

"Oh. Yeah. _That _curfew. I'd forgotten about that."

Kougaiji surrendered to amusement and laughed softly.

"So I see. Back to your dorm, you absurd moon-mad Gryffindor. Immediately."

"Yessir. Aren't you giving me a detention?"

"I very much doubt that it would dot the slightest bit of good if I did, and I have better things to do then waste my time in supremely useless exercises."

"Goodnight sir." said Jackie, giving him an infectious grin and slipping away into the dark.

"Goodnight."

Kougaiji stood a while in the moonlight, thinking of Homura and the child that now bore his face, how different they were and what could have been.

Watching the spiders that seemed to be seeking a way through the glass, and wondering.

* * *

Next time; Halloween and Confrontations 


	6. Chapter 6

Sum: Sequel to ST. Alice is nuts, Deans powers are growing, Dumbles is acting up, Scabbers had escaped and something is petrifying the students. Thank god there's a loony seer, a camera wielding fanboy and a very sensible young lady to help fight the good(ish) fight. Swearing and mentions of slash and 3soms.

BlackCross1808; 'Cause Indigo did and told her something of Siri's past to make her take the case. What does ROTFLMAO mean please?

j bear; Yup, Jackies a lovable sort of kid.

Holysinner5527; That was a fun line, though i do think i've stolen it from somewhere. Lots of Indigo in this one, and the next is centric on him and my other snaky babys.

MoonPrincess623: Weird sort of picture isn't it? You have already asked that question. They are set now, you'll have to wait for th other pairings. Indigo would indeed kill the puppy, if Sev didn't get their first.

LightDarkandChaos; Cheers!

silverchildakami; Thank you! And yay, new reviewer!

* * *

Halloween and Confrontations 

"Happy Halloween, brats."

"That may just be the scariest -"

"-thing you have ever done-"

"-never wish anyone well again."

Professor Snape raised an eyebrow at the trio, a glitter of surprise in onyx eyes.

"Jackie, since when did you talk like that?"

"I'm not sure sir-"

"-it just sort-"

"-of happened."

"How darling." His expression was perfectly deadpan but a trained observer of the chronically restrained would have noticed the tiny upwards quirk at the corner of his crimson mouth. "Don't do it in my lesson."

The Nutters saluted smartly. Snape turned on his other students.

"In honour of the occasion, today we shall be brewing and testing the antidote to a poison called 'White Terror'. Won't that be fun?"

The class, baring Harry and a strong willed 17 year old, gulped.

Xxxxxxxx

"You two have been arguing for the last 20 minutes." stated Indigo, wandering over to the Twins and gazing at them pensively. "It seems unnatural for some reason. Why are you doing it?"

"What's your-"

"Fred!"

Indigo frowned at them.

"That's why you haven't confessed to Jackie yet? Idiots…"

"If he loves you-"

"He does." He gave them a baleful look. "The same way you love Ron. That's as far as it goes."

"But, he's your stalker-in-chief." George was somewhat confused.

"Over-protective. He was miserable without you two, hide it as he might. I was not pleased."

The Twins glanced at each other and grinned.

"Does that mean we have your blessing to court him?"

"Do you need it?"

"Well, we would like it. You are scary sometimes."

"…Yes." said Indigo softly, eyes unreadable. "You have my blessing. Now go and do something about it."

They dashed off.

Indigo shock his head and muttered something uncomplimentary about crazy idiots a form of Chiness that was over a thousand years old.

Kougaiji, who had been heading to lunch, heard him and almost tripped over his own feet.

Neville's all too practiced staff work, Ron's habit of swearing in ancient Chinese, Harry's healing powers, and Indigos casual use of this language with the same crystal sharp accent as Genjyo Sanzo.

They remembered there past lives, they knew who they were.

_Why hadn't they told him?! _

"Damn."

"Quite." replied Kougaiji, giving the blond boy a look of mingled hurt and anger. "I think I would like to speak with you, Samzo-sama, and your cohort also."

Indigo, Sanzo, nodded slowly.

"Later, during the feast. Claim that you gave use detentions."

The youkai king gritted his teeth, but nodded before turning back towards his office. Lunch could wait; he had to contact Lirin, Yaone and Dokugakuji.

"If Dumbledore hears a word of this, you will be a smoking corpse before midnight."

Kougaiji almost laughed. Not because he thought Sanzo wouldn't or couldn't do it, but because he thought it necessary.

"I have learnt to recognise the untrustworthy in the last thousand years."

"Thank the gods."

Indigo headed for the stairs, and then sighed as they started to move.

"Just jump it. There's no-one to see but me, and I'm hardly going to object."

Indigo smiled slightly, ran and just made the jump, landing lightly on the banister and balancing there as the staircase kept moving.

McGonagal rounded the corner, and squeaked.

"I know." said Kougaiji, nodding sadly. "Don't you just hate kids with perfect balance? He's not the only one who does it either. I've already given three detentions for it today."

"That's dangerous!"

"Mm. Almost as bad as Quiditch."

He pretended not to notice the woman's expression of utter outrage.

Xxxxxxx

Indigo told Ron, and they had a short but intense fight. Ron told Harry when the young healer asked him about his black eye, gained in retaliation for Indigo's split lip. Neville heard about it from Harry while seeking information about why Ron and Harry both looked so cross and bounced around in nervous excitement until Harry had to sit on him to make him calm down.

Nobody was surprised that they had detentions. That Ron, who was generally laid back, and Indigo, with his preference for verbal sparring, had gotten into a fist fight was far more interesting.

Xxxxxxx

"Good evening." said Harry when the office door was opened.

"Good evening, Hakkai-san." replied Kougaiji, looking thoughtfully at Ron, who walked behind the green eyed boy. "Was there a fight?"

"Just a little one." said Ron, eyeing him wearily as Neville shoved him through the door. "Hardly worth mentioning."

"Nice wards." comment Indigo, drifting in and kicking the door shut behind him.

"I'm sure Lirin will be glad you approve."

"I suddenly feel strangely threatened…"

"How nice." Kougaiji sat on his desk and watched as the four boys found places around his office. "I suppose the most important question is how you came to be here at all."

Harry shifted uncomfortably in the chair before the desk. Indigo tensed slightly against the wall. Ron and Neville watched the other two, looking ever-so-slightly worried.

"You don't know, do you?"

"Nothing is certain." murmured Harry, but since when did Hakkai speak for the group? "The goddess claims to be uninvolved."

"The theory is that someone tried to summon us." stated Indigo. "It went wrong, we broke loose and latched onto the nearest souls that were too young to keep us out."

Ah, a return to the norm.

"An unhappy theory, but a logical one. You became legends in certain circle, your names are remembered still." Kougaiji tipped his head slightly and frown at them. "Why did you never seek my people out?"

"The youkai have every reason to hate us." Harry shrugged slightly. "We had assumed that you and yours were long dead."

"Dokugakuji will be most offended by the idea that he would die of anything as, uninteresting as old age, but a fair assumption. However, do I look dead?"

"You coulda been your grandkid. Or one of Dumble's minions." Ron shrugged. "We couldn't risk it, don't know what the old coot would do if he knew. Don't wanna know."

Kougaiji glanced between the boys, frowning slightly.

"Do you fear him?"

"We are not foolish enough to pretend he is not dangerous." said Harry softly.

"Lockhart wigs me out more." Ron added.

"'Sides, Indy has Dumble's all tied up with Harry's godfather an' goats."

"The goat, were last year's news." corrected Indigo in arch tones. "Currently, I have Luna's little blue friends making life difficult for him."

"My godfather?" asked Harry sharply.

"I sent you a letter about it a week before I contacted the lawyer."

"…Hades?"

"No..?"

"We had fan mail problems."

Indigo nodded understandingly.

"I feel like I've just missed a significant part of the conversation." comment Kougaiji, faintly bemused.

"Don't we all." agreed Ron. "They are quite freaky, no? Was there anything else we needed to talk about?"

"Probably, but the oddness of that has temporarily driven it from my mind… Dokugakuji will want to see you."

Ron went slightly pale.

"He… Yes, of course… Fuck, I need to think about this. We done?"

"Yes, go. I said I'd attend Sir Nickolas's death day party anyway."

"You too huh?" Indigo pealed himself of the wall as soon as Ron and Neville had rushed past. "Harry? Fascinating experience and all that shit."

"Quite. It hardly seems your style though."

"If I can get Moaning Myrtle to join forces with Peeves…"

"Not where I have to deal with it. I know their reputations."

"Talk to the Bloody Baron, professor, I can't control them. Harry, what is it?"

"There is a snake in the walls." stated Harry, frowning. "Very large, and rather insane, I think. It's talking about blood and shredding things… It's hunting."

Harry took off down a corridor. Indigo hissed, cat-like, and followed with a mutter of;

"Bloody parselmough!"

Kougaiji blinked, and went after the two boys.

Xxxxxxxx

A spreading pool of water, a message written on the wall, and Filch's cat, Mrs Norris, lying unnaturally still.

"The Chamber of Secrets has opened. Enemies of the Heir beware." Harry frowned at the writing disapprovingly. "How, melodramatic."

"It's written in blood." stated Kougaiji. "People who'll go to the trouble of writing things in blood do tend to be rather over-dramatic.

They turned away from it at a sharp gasp.

Indigo was backing away from Mrs Norris. His skin was deathly white, his eyes were very wide and he was shaking.

"Can't move, aware but just can't move-" His back hit the wall; he jerked and bolted.

"Indigo?!"

Xxxxxxx

Neville curled in on himself as feelings not his own flooded him.

-_anger fear helplessness, can'tmovecan'tmovecan'tmove! Helpless, stoplooking stoplooking! Can'tmove, oh god, can't move! Aware, aware, why, don't wanna know, don't wanna see! Do look at me like that, don't touch!- _

"Neville?! Hey! Neville!"

A hand on his wrist- No! They'd trap him again, back in the cage and –_can'tmovecan'tmovecan'tmove!- _

He lashed out, and then backed away. There were table and people, too many people, too many eyes-!

He ran. They needed the clear sky overhead and the earth under their feet and the trees, they were safe in the trees, cradled safe between earth and sky to call on either, nothing could get them in the trees!

Xxxxxx

Everyone in the Great Hall stared in shock as Neville dropped to the floor and started shaking. Shock became fear as he lashed out at Ron, knocking the redhead back a good two meters.

Fear of him became fear for him as he looked at them, eyes wide and fearful, skin paler then it should be, and then turned and ran from the hall as if he had a werewolf on his tail.

Xxxxxxx

Dean stared. A bond he hadn't seen before, a strong of amber and amethyst that linked to Neville's head and heart pulsed into being sickly green terror and deep grey warning-of-danger.

To flee under that was only natural, but way did the shimmer bright gold assistance under his feet? Why did the wooden doors swing open before him, no obstacle to his flight?

Why could he see great tawny wings spreading from Neville shoulders, fluttering to aid his flight? Neville didn't need wings, he was…

_Earth's child, earth's chosen, balancing the sky. _

In the chaos, only increased as Professor Houton burst in with a statue like Mrs Norris under one arm, nobody noticed when Dean slumped, unconscious to the table.

* * *

Next time; The Duelling Club and Personal Nightmares


	7. Chapter 7

Sum: Sequel to ST. Alice is nuts, Deans powers are growing, Dumbles is acting up, Scabbers had escaped and something is petrifying the students. Thank god there's a loony seer, a camera wielding fanboy and a very sensible young lady to help fight the good(ish) fight. Swearing and mentions of slash and 3soms.

Jim Red Hawk; Thank you.

BlackCross1808; Thank you. They do tend to catch a lot of stick...

Holysinner5527; Yeah, Liren probably would, and i can't see Harry freaking out over anything. Thank you.

HeavenSenthellBroken; Had a muppet moment? i can relate. Kougaiji rocks, and if i didn't make you serach for plot you wouldn't apreciate it as much when i give you some.

MoonPrincess623; Yup, it should make more sence after this chapter. I adore Neville, he's such a sweety.

FallenHope-Angel; Thank you!

Nikalian88; Thank you, and that's a good question. I don't actully know where jeep is, maybe he'll turn up...

Amekoryuu; Thak you. Dean will get a break soon.

LightDarkandChaos; Yeah, he does, but he can handle it.

digisammiegirl; I'm sorry! I'm sorry! This chapter was hard to finish and just seemed to drag on and on...

* * *

The Duelling Club and Personal Nightmares

Dumbledore looked worriedly at the message.

Petrified cat. Blood on the walls. Slaughtered cockerels. Spiders leaving the castle in droves. _Damn. _

How could he use this?

"It may be nothing more than a student prank-"

"My cat was petrified by one of those-"

"Don't be ridicules!" snapped Kougaiji. "They lack both the power and the skill."

"There are a few with unusual power levels." murmured Minerva, and he could almost see the wheels turning in her mind. "And many of the pureblood families have privet libraries."

"Blaming the Slytherins, are we?" Kougaiji seemed to take offence at the subtext. "Let's just ignore the strong ones in the other houses, shall we? Even the ones you've set lose in the Restricted Section, because they aren't Slytherins, are they? And precisely one quarter of 11 year olds are just evil."The demon king sneered at them. "Your culture is just stupid."

There was anger at this, but also guilt as the point struck home.

_Damn. _

"I'm sure no-one is pointing any fingers." injected Dumbledore smoothly. "Podma, you have been growing mandrakes, correct?"

"Yes, but they won't be ready for quite some time…"

"Could you, ah, improvise Severus?"

"I'm good, but not that good."

"Very well. I doubt Mrs Norris will come to any great harm if she remains as she is for the time being-"

"Buy them in." said Kougaiji, his arms folded and an edge of steel in his voice. "She's aware. Maybe a cat can handle that, but a student? There are going to be more victims."

"We don't know that she's aware." snapped Minerva, frowning.

"No? There's an empath who's pulled a vanishing act over just that, and going on how utterly terrified he looked I'm going to bet that she is."

Severus went very still.

"The child could simply have been over-reacting." Said Dumbledore, connecting the dots and trying to head-off whatever faith the demon king had in the empath, presumably Malfoy. "Psychic powers can lead to, uncertain emotional control."

"Have you meet Indigo Malfoy?"

The question was delivered in a mild, interested tone. Nothing more really needed to be said on the matter, those who hadn't met the young lord Malfoy had heard about him from those who had.

"I shall arrange for the mandrakes to be brought." said Minerva firmly. "Severus, your input is required. Professor Houton, if you would give additional assistance to those who struggle in your lessons I would be grateful."

"Professor Flitwick, would you assist me in teaching them to duel?"

"I'll do it!" said Lockhart, beaming madly at them. He was ignored.

"Of course, some of my elder students may be able to help."

The meeting broke up at Minerva and Severus went to buy mandrakes, Podma went to comfort her house and Kougaiji and Filius wandered off discussing suitable spells to teach the students.

Dumbledore blinked, and tried to work out just when his teachers had stopped listening to him.

Xxxxxxxx

"Does anyone know what happened?" asked Susan, twitching violently.

Nobody answered. She snarled.

"Great, Neville has vanished and no one has a damn clue why."

"Indigo's gone as well Bones." snapped Millicent, frowning.

"Yeah, but he's a Slytherin. He can be relied upon to get himself out of trouble."

Millicent blinked, and settled down.

"The timing must be connected." said Hazel softly. "They lost it at almost the exact same time, it can't be coincidence."

Harry glance at Ron, who nodded slightly. The Slytherins in the room, Flare and Millicent only, noticed immediately, as did Susan, the Twins and Hermione.

"You know something." stated Flare, voice full of steel and frost. "Talk."

"We think Neville's a bit psychic." blurted out Ron, startled by Flare's sudden personality shift, but not startled enough to give the unbelievable truth. "Not heavy psychic, just little itty-bity psychic, but Indigo's…"

"Intense." supplied Harry. "And probably the first person that Neville has met with significant psychic powers of their own. It could have been enough to link them somehow."

"What scared Indio enough to cause that reaction in Neville?" Hermione was very still and very focused. "Both seem to have strong nerves."

"He said that Mrs Norris was aware." Harry shrugged. "I don't know why it produced the reaction it did."

Flare slumped slightly. George noticed.

"You know something. Talk."

"It is not my place to tell you, and even if it were you don't need to know."

"Jackie went after them the second he knew Indigo was involved!" snarled Fred. "It involves us if it involves him! So where are they?! Where are Yuki and Tracy?! Why is Dean in the Hospital Wing again?!"

Flare clenched his jaw and stayed silent. Luna rose and stood at his shoulder.

"You ask of things you do not understand." she said, her normal dreamy tone absent. "There are none who wish you and yours ill at this time, you cannot understand. Do not question."

Percy grabbed is enraged brothers and shoved them away from the young Ravenclaw, eyes fixed on her face.

"But they do have ill wishers. Death Eater parents, old money and some fairly interesting talents of their own, it's inevitable. They were kidnapped, perhaps, unable to move, and helpless…"

"I was in Jamaica when it happened." murmured Flare, looking down. "Yes, they were kidnapped. Yuki had gotten Tracy mostly normal again by the time I could ask, and Indigo doesn't talk about it."

"You can't tell us anymore?" Hannah's voice was soft and soothing.

"No."

Huffelpuffs are wonderful creatures, who have the rare and precious gift of knowing when not to ask questions. Bless their black little hearts.

"We'd best go and find them." said Hazel, standing up and then sighing when he was stared at. "We can't just leave them. What if their outside, or up a tower? It's cold and nasty tonight."

"I should send you to bed." mused Percy, and nodded when he was giving looked of mingled shock and distain. "If you cost me my prefects badge I'll sic Penelope on you."

"Noted." said Harry. "We can use Point Me to find them, right?"

Fred and George exchanged looks.

"We have an easier way…"

Xxxxxxx

Tracy sat at the base of the tree, singing softly, Yuki was beside her, tapping out the beat on the bark and Jackie sat nearby, eyes shut and breath even.

Up in the tree Neville had calmed down enough to think about things in a semi-logical fashion, and was trying to make Indigo do the same.

It was weird. He'd never had to be the strong one before.

_-What happened? Why are you afraid?- _

The reply was messy, a tangled knot of thoughts and feelings. Mrs Norris and her utter conviction that she was going to die. The feeling of ropes on his wrists and the realisation that he couldn't move and that one of the kidnapers kept looking at him. Rage against his own helplessness and fear.

Neville sighed, took Indigo's hands lightly in his own and told without words that Indigo was safe here, safe with him.

"Yeah. I know."

Jackie opened his eyes and looked up at them, smiling slightly.

"Both of you lost your shoes. Do you want me to pass them up to you? Your feet must be getting cold."

Indigo wriggled his bare toes against the bark and frowned. Neville gazed thoughtfully at his sole remaining sock.

"We'd get tha' insides dirty."

Jackie smiled. Tracy's song ended and she smiled peacefully up at the sky.

"I'm glad. You worried us last time."

Neville looked at Indigo inquiringly. He shifted uncomfortably.

"Ask Yuki."

"I'm askin' you."

It could have ended there. Indigo could have said no or asked him to drop it. He would have, he'd never been able to refuse Indigo, in any of his incarnations, anything he truly asked for. But, that wasn't the blond's way.

There had been a man, large but indistinct, a nothing man. But he looked too much and sat too close and murmured about things he'd like to do. Indigo would have kicked and spat and swore but they'd put him in a Full Body Bind after he'd gotten lose the first time. Tracy was chained to the opposite wall, sobbing and shaking and knowing in some instinctive, bone deep knowing what this man was but unable to word it. She was only 4, but physically so was he, he'd never have to deal with it so young before. He could stand it until Sev got here, could deal, only the man reached out, caressed his throat and he couldn't stand it, couldn't deal and the world lit up in frozen grey and the sky tasted of fire.

When he woke he was home, with Yuki and Tracy in the next room and Miranda dozing beside him and Narcissa and Severus downstairs arguing with the aurors, and his head was filled with Tracy's fear and Yuki's worry and his parent's painful rage and _who had changed his clothes? _It had been a mouth before he'd spoken again, before he could stand to be near anyone other than Miranda, and could force down their feelings long enough to tell them what was wrong.

Neville blinked, organised the information, recognised what had been left out and wondered.

Indigo told him no with a look.

"The others are coming." said Yuki softly. "Do you want me to try and head them off?"

"Too many questions." said Indigo, shaking his head. "I'll cope. I just over-reacted."

"You?"

"Stranger things have happened."

"Perhaps, but I always got the impression that you were unflappable."

"I recount the various incidents of the Huffelpuff Marshmallow Man."

"There was a distinct lack of screaming."

"Only because- Yuki, why am I trying to convince you that I'm not generally awesome?"

"You disagree with people dear; you just have to. It's your nature, you can't help it."

"…Everyone?"

"Well, almost everyone. I think you've agreed with Severus a few times."

"Well, shit…"

Neville patted his arm comfortingly, and was hissed at. Percy peered up at them.

"You seem rather cosy. Care to explain why you had to scare the living daylights out of us all?"

"I freaked out. Neville caught the shit on the rebound." Indigo frowned at Ron slightly. "You have cracked ribs."

Ron blinked, moved and winched.

"Why do you know this before I do?"

"Because you suck. Duh."

Harry passed a glowing hand over the damaged ribs, eyeing the duo up the tree thoughtfully and ignoring Ron's embarrassed, sulkily pout.

"Indigo, when you freak out you blow things up."

"What do you call an irrational, nightmarish fear of paralysis?"

"Ask Google. When did this phobia begin?"

"We got kidnapped." supplied Tracy when Indigo didn't answer. "Indigo was paralysed to stop him getting lose again. One of them was a paedophile; right up until Indy fried his brain and broke the other 3. That was the psychic shit breaking free, which probably didn't help."

"So, you got nabbed, frozen and perved on before sending the asshites comatose and freaking out because you could hear what people where thinking." summarised Jackie. "Fair enough."

"You didn't know-"

"-about this?"

"Nope!"

"Weird." commented Susan.

"Why are you up a tree?" asked Hazel.

"We're safe in trees." said Neville absently.

"Why?" asked Indigo, head tipped slightly.

"Between earth and sky, something about wings…" Neville shook his head. "It made more sense when I was freaking out. Can we go inside now?"

"I'm not stopping you."

"Indigo you are not spending the night in a tree!"

"There is a giant snake that petrifies people in there!"

"You'll catch hyperthermia!"

"There are these things call Warming Charms, ever heard of them?"

"You can't hold them all night!"

Most of the group watched in outright amazement as a stern looking Harry argued with a raging Indigo.

Ron and Neville, who had seen this before and knew how easily Hakkai and Sanzo's row**s** could turn into long mental chess matches, went to find Kougaiji. Perhaps he could stop those two from ending in one of those blowouts which left them being icily polite to each other for the next week.

It had happened before, and was epically not fun for everyone and anyone nearby.

Xxxxxxxx

Dean didn't wake up the next morning.

Lessons continued, Snape was slightly more grumpy then normal and a flyer appeared on the entrance hall notice board about duelling lessons for all.

Dean didn't wake up the next morning either.

Xxxxxxxxx

The Great Hall was packed. The large duelling podium in the centre may have had something to do with this, but attendance was still impressive.

"What do you think they'll teach us?" asked Hermione, watching Professors Flitwick and Houton avidly.

"Spells, I expect." replied Tracy, viewing the room through half closed eyes. "Flitwick might touch on the manners but Houton hardly seems the sort to care."

"He wouldn't cheat." protested Neville, who had been well instructed in duelling by his mother and grandmother.

"Precisely." muttered Flare darkly.

Hermione and Neville looked faintly baffled.

"Slytherin manners are different from our manners." said Tracy lightly. "I'll explain later. We're starting."

"Shut up you psychotic little hellions!" yelled Kougaiji.

No-one was offended by this. When the man teaching you how to break people's noses calls you a psychotic little hellion then it's almost certainly a compliment.

"We love you too honey!"

Ron certainly saw it that way, and responded in kind.

"How many of you know how to duel?" asked Flitwick, smiling behind his beard.

Every pureblood, most of the half-bloods and everyone over 15 raised their hands. Kougaiji grinned.

"Good. Now you," He pointed at Susan "and you." He pointed at Nott. "Get up here and show the rest."

There was a moment of perplexed silence. Then Susan rolled herself onto the platform in the most undignified way possible and Nott headed towards the steps onto the podium, muttering darkly to himself.

"On your best manners." said Professor Flitwick, sounding remarkably threatening for someone who was only three foot tall. "And don't damage each other! Disarming spells only!"

Susan nodded and took her place. Nott did the same, looking rebellious.

"Begin, kids. And remember, no biting." Kougaiji jumped lightly from the platform.

They bowed. Susan gave Nott a Look, the sort that required capitalisation, that said very clearly that she was a Bones woman and Did Not Like Him.

There was only one sensible response to that look; Panic and Flee in Terror.

He got the first part down, the second was obstructed by the same pride that resulted in so many purebloods being seriously damaged when faced with a pissed of muggle with access to a gun or a kitchen.

Most Death Eaters were reasonably insane to start with, but being bashed over the head with a frying pan probably didn't help matters.

Susan used a disarming spell, Nott blocked it and responded with the same, Susan dodged and repeated the spell, which caused Nott to fumble his wand and, in his fear, use a spell that he really shouldn't have.

"_Stop that." _hissed Harry, slipping easily into parseltongue as the distressed cobra bared it's fangs at the students. _"It's not their fault. Are you hurt?" _

In the crowd Ron and Neville gapped, and Indigo banged his head against the wall and muttered darkly about that damn thoughtless idiot who was _supposed_ to be the sensible one.

* * *

Ye gods and little catfish, that took forever...

Next time; Dean and The Ghosts of Princes Past


	8. Chapter 8

Sum: Sequel to ST. Alice is nuts, Deans powers are growing, Dumbles is acting up, Scabbers had escaped and something is petrifying the students. Thank god there's a loony seer, a camera wielding fanboy and a very sensible young lady to help fight the good(ish) fight. Swearing and mentions of slash and 3soms.

MoonPrincess623; Well, there's no-one interesting to fight at the moment...

BlackCross1808; Thank you!

HeavenSentHellBroken; Electified razors of doom? What an image...

lilypad; You may be right, i honestly don't know...

FallenHope-Angel; Yeah, Harry had a stupid moment there.

Holysinner5527; Thank you!

psychoticKisshu; Deans up this chapter, and Yavone should be along in a little while.

Vree; Thank you!

kitter106; I'm on it, I'm on it.

animegirl1994; Thank you!

Naruto-Lover6271; Thank you, the pairing for my boys arn't final yet, though the pairings already in are staying in.

Misting Rain;Thank you. And as to your question on the ST review, Neville had to cope with out Indy for years, so he's less dependant now. Reviews are always nice.

**Authors Note; **Sorry everyone, but I have my As levels in a few weeks so, probably the last update untill the exams are over. Sorry, but much as i love writting, grades must come first.

* * *

Dean and The Ghosts of Princes Past

Dean woke up with Hannah sitting by his bed and a head full of memories that weren't his.

He had seen the abridged versions of 12 lives, all of which had ended in bloody gory messes. It was rather disorientating.

"You're awake." Hannah's smile was warm and sincere, with no shadows or secrets behind it. "I'm glad; we've been worried about you."

"Hey. How long was I out?"

"Three nights. You've missed quite a bit of excitement." she toyed with her hair. "Mrs Norris was petrified, Neville is a wee bit psychic, Indigo has a phobia of paralysis and Harry is a parselmouth. On a happier note, Lockhart seems to be on the verge of a break down."

"Oh, that's nice." He sat up. "Where's my sketch book?"

The monitoring spell on him went off, and Madame Pomfrey swept out of her office with the manner of an avenging angel.

Hannah decided that discretion was the better part of valour.

"I'll go and get it for you."

Xxxxxxxx

"DEAN'S AWAKE!"

"Silence!"

Hannah, her message delivered, fled the wrath of Madame Price.

"Brave girl." murmured Tracy.

Hermione, Hazel and Flare nodded. Price was scary.

"Let's go visit Dean." said Flare, standing up. "It's our duty as his friends to distract Pomfrey."

"You just want to avoid your homework."

"Shut up Hazel."

Xxxxxxxx

Dean drew them all, almost feverish in his need to get them all down on paper.

The radiant smile of the elder twin, backed by shadow. The poison prince, all too aware that he lived as a parasite. The healer who learned to late what he was tied into. The watchful guardian, breaking his heart for the ones he couldn't save.

It had happened almost 2500 years ago. They didn't remember it anymore. The Fallen King was almost totally over it. He should let the first tragedy of their lives stay forgotten.

Their memories burned in his mind. He drew the bonds between them. Or tried to rather, those things were complicated.

"It will only hurt them!"

"Did you know they were waiting?"

"Dean?"

Harry stood in the doorway, Ron at his shoulder. The goddess was gone. Had se ever been here at all?

"Are you alright?"

Healer habits from 2 lifetimes. Did he remember the time before the goddess got a hold of him? Probably not.

"Do you remember being Tyzarin? Do you remember having wings? You were a healer priest." He glanced at Ron, whose expression was 2 parts confusion and 1 part fear. "What about you? Mareth with the scarlet wings, guard to the elder prince, you were tied into the poison, both of you were. Don't you remember?"

They stared at him blankly.

"Hm. You remembered Tenpou and Keren after I saw the, but not them? Original lives… Maybe it's different for those… Go and find Neville and Indigo, it'll be easier to tell you all together."

They kept staring at them Dean frowned.

"Go. Shoo. Did you give Konzen this trouble?"

"Yup!" chirped Neville, ducking past the duo in the doorway. "And worse. I pulled his hair, it was fun! Didn't you forget everything? Indy said you were calling us…"

"If it can be seen once it can be seen again." said Indigo, shoving Ron into the room with a foot to the lower back. "Why must everyone stand in doorways?"

"Why do you never kick Harry? And why are you not turning blue?"

Indigo, who was wearing faded jeans, a sleeveless black top and a dozen thin enamelled bangles on his left wrist, raised his chin slightly.

"Harry pays with poisons, and if I'm going to spend two months working out how to anchor charms in bracelets then I'm going to use them and the weather can go screw itself."

"Was that arrogance or just stubbornness?" murmured Dean to himself, and then louder; "You stole my memories."

"They weren't yours."

The three non-psychics flinched at the sever lack of tact. Not that this was odd from Indigo, who was only polite if he was trying to manipulate you, but still…

"You are an asshole."

"And you're in danger of a mental breakdown that will leave you brain-dead and vegetable-like until they pull the plug on your life-support, but do I make nasty comments about it?"

Even Harry cringed at that one. Dean, however, just blinked.

"Was that anger, fear or both? Raialion did the same after the poisoning, just kept poking, trying to make someone poke back. Only nobody did so it got internalised and festered."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Indigo kicked off his shoes and settled at the end of the bed. "What have you seen this time? Oh, stop lurking you morons, Harry, I thought better of you. Since when did you try to hide behind anyone?"

"Since someone tried to psycho-analyse you." was the mild reply. "Since that would suggest that they are prepared to risk your wrath, which implies danger of the epicly non-fun sort."

"I've never tried to kill anyone for psycho-analysis."

"Who tried?"

"…Point. Let's not talk about that. Dean?"

The artist opened his sketch book at a picture of Harry, or rather a young man in his late teens who looked like Harry would if he had huge black wings, a long braid and wasn't getting enough sleep.

"This was Tyzarin, a healer priest of the Lady Gaia, the order of Sah-harl. He didn't really know what he was getting into, not until it was too late."

The next picture was of Neville, hair in a number of tiny braids that lay flat to his skull, wings that seemed too small and an air of fading vibrancy, like a flower with bruised petals.

"Shararzard, the 1st son of Lucifer and the Lady Zeia. He was tied to the earth, like she was, couldn't fly, just glide a bit. He didn't seem to mind much, he was everyone's darling, it he wanted to go skywards someone would take him. Everybody loved Prince Shar."

Neville looked baffled. Dean turned to another picture, this one of a n 18 year old Ron with short, very spiky hair, fine scars down each check, wings that needed grooming and a worrying edge of fire in his stare.

"Mareth, Shar's guard. He did know what he was getting into, and went in anyway. He lost his brother in the poisoning; some said he was looking to die as well."

The page was turned once more, this time to Indigo, hair in a similar style to the picture-Neville's, haunted eyes, grey wings and strange slivery streaks over his skin, as though someone had tried to give him tiger strips with cheap paints.

"Raialion, Rial to most, the 2nd price, Shar's younger twin though most thought he was the elder. Unnerving young man, even before the poisoning, very observant, moderately terrifying, lots of style."

Dean lowered the book and looked at them.

"There was ambassadorial delegation, from that place that calls itself Heaven. The Merciful Goddess missed Lucifer, her favourite brother, and wanted to meet her nephews, so she sent gifts, silks and jewels and a magic mirror that I don't know the proper name for, worked like a very good web-cam. It went fine, they left with return gifts, including some almost totally see-through silk Bosatsu seemed to rather like. Then the next ambassador came, and this time someone spiked the food. Tah-hish, they called it. Three dead in half an hour, Rial holding on by sheer bloody-mindedness alone, everyone accusing everyone else and no-one really watching Shar."

"Is that poison now defunct, or has the name just changed?" asked Harry lightly. "Do I need to find an antidote?"

"Powdered silver in a holy water and St. Johns Wart infusion." said Indigo softly. "Deadly to werewolves, vampires and anyone who's got one of the Fallen for a grandparent or closer. No effect on humans. We're all safe, so far as I know. Though you could get a werewolf army if you found a way to fix silver poisoning…"

"Why do you know that?" asked Ron worriedly.

"Lucifer is a slut. He also happens to be my mother grandfather."

"If I didn't know that you've always been this bitchy that would explain so much…"

Dean smiled slightly.

"You know the story then? What come next?"

"'For love of his twin, the Prince Shararzard did fashion a horror of miracles, tying their lives as one 'till death take them both.' It's a story, Dean, there was a Shararzard, and his twin was poisoned, but the twin died and Shararzard followed a few days later, took down both their guards and the healer that tried to save Sharadzard as well. The story is longer, but they died there."

"The Great Sage Equalling Heaven. The power was always there, it was just a matter of using it." Dean looked at Neville. "You're remembering."

"There was- I- it…" Golden eyes were wide and lost; he didn't seem to see them. "I could feel him dyin' an' it hurt an' I couldn't let him go. He had to, to be there, be the clever one. I wasn't the heir, you know, no-one ever said it but I wasn't. I was okaa-sama's earth baby, earth, an' stone an' plants. I'm not good at plans, or logic or politics, so, he, he had to live, an' not just for me!"

Neville was coming apart at the seams, shaking and terrified. Ron wrapped an arm around the Huffelpuffs shoulders, his eyes vacant.

"Easy kid. Crown Prince's become kings, less they don't want to, an' sometimes kings have scary viziers who run thing for 'em. It's all good."

Harry looked at Indigo, who shrugged.

"I suppose if no-one knew it was possible no-one would ever try to do something similar." Harry paused for a moment, thoughtful. "How did I or Tyzarin rather, get involved?"

"Sustaining two lives put Shar under strain. Mareth volunteered to lend his life force to the bond; there were rituals that could do that, Shar's way had just been simpler, and seemingly irreversible. When they saw that it help the logical thing was to repeat the procedure. Lady Zeia had been a maiden of Gaia before she met Lucifer, she petitioned your order for help and you were considered suitable."

"Bull. Tossed to the wolves for askin' tricky questions." snarled Ron. "Not a damn clue 'till it was too late."

Harry went quiet, his eyes losing focus.

"Yes. I remember."

"They would all have been dead in a decade, tops." Indigo's hand rose towards his mouth, and he didn't seem to notice when Ron absently pulled it away. "Silver poisoning doesn't go away, constant drain, everyone dies. But Lucifer plays favourites…"

"You had a deadline. Break the knot, or at least get yourself out, before they added anyone else to it, and without hurting those already involved. You were 10 years old, and you were looking for ways to die."

Neville seemed half cationic, Harry looked vacant, Ron watched silently and Indigo kept twitching.

"I don't remember, and why does it matter now? Those lives ended over 2000 years ago, it's done with."

"You don't want to remember, and it does matter. You're still tangled up together, threads were cut but the knot remains, and it's not natural."

"Is that so bad?" asked Neville mournfully. "We're okay, we look after each other, it's not bad."

"It's unnatural." said Dean, shrugging. "There okay now, but they were forced, not formed, and so it they go bad they won't break. If you just leave them…"

"No good things." murmured Indigo, one hand over his eyes. "How did it end?"

"Everyone went to earth for a little sunshine and a trade meeting with some humans, there was an ambush, and Shar was fatally wounded. The tangle could be, not broken but the most dangerous bits split up, but it would kill everyone involved. But Shar was the focus, so if he died so did everyone else anyway…"

"Break of a shard of our souls to feed it, and send them alone to the wheel of mortal life, but that dark blessing is shattered, and in the breaking it cannot be made again." whispered Harry. "But not all of the bond, there's the part that can't be broken by death. Shit, Hazel-"

A sharp gesture from Indigo cut him off.

"That's love. It's natural, messed with a bit be Hazel mucking about with souls but natural." He gave Dean a hard stare. "You can see the bonds; can you tell which ones are natural?"

"Silk and nylon look much the same, and I can't touch them."

Indigo hissed, cat-like, and stalked out.

"It's not so bad." said Neville again. "We were happy."

"Yes, but ties that can't break are just cages in the end." Harry sighed deeply, glancing at Dean. "Will you tell anyone?"

"No." he closed his eyes, the burn of Rial finally leaving him. "Gods no."

* * *

That took a while...

Next time, Christmas parties and Other Such Buggary


	9. Chapter 9

Sum: Sequel to ST. Alice is nuts, Deans powers are growing, Dumbles is acting up, Scabbers had escaped and something is petrifying the students. Thank god there's a loony seer, a camera wielding fanboy and a very sensible young lady to help fight the good(ish) fight. Swearing and mentions of slash and 3soms.

Misting Rain: All shall be explain, just as soon as i work out how it happens.

Yoru Hana 1: Better get used to the confusing-ness. I tend to do a lot of that.

ammiegirl1994: Sah!

moonlightskymist: I've already contacted you about this, right?

FallenHope-Angel: Cheers.

Firehedgehog:Thanks.

MoonPrincess623: Yup, they do. There too badass to go anyother way. Poor Goku, the darling little moron.

* * *

Christmas Parties and Other Such Buggary

"Huh."

Yuki looked thoughtfully at her friend.

"Huh?"

"Huh!"

Indigo brandished the letter and took another gulp of his morning coffee.

Yuki patted his shoulder comfortingly.

Alysandra tipped her head and looked at Flare, who shrugged.

"Indy's mum's throwing a Midwinter's party, he objects."

"…You got all that from three huh's?"

"Nah. I get that from knowing them for years."

"Hm."

"You're all invited." said Indigo suddenly. "If you weren't already. In fact our entire squad is invited, as is the Munchkin Army. In fact I may just invite everyone I know. Except Parkinson. The Parkinsons are barred."

"You can't do that." said Alysandra mildly. "Your mother may already have invited them."

"Don't care. They're not getting in."

"You can't keep them out."

"Can too."

Alysandra, who tended to keep up, considered this.

"How?"

"Elementary, my dear Commander. It's my house."

There was a thoughtful pause, and then Millicent began to laugh.

"My, what an evil laugh you have."

"Thank you Yuki. It is rather good, isn't it?"

xxxxxxxx

Kougaiji gave the invitation a look of faint bemusment.

_You are invited… Midwinter's revelry… Malfoy manor… +3…_

He smiled.

"Little bastard."

xxxxxxxx

This time the Hogwarts Express hadn't been separated, and as such Gryffindors and Slytherins were having little face offs up and down the train. One group in particular stood out, as it was gently menacing all the other students by wandering around singing.

"_We are the best/ So screw the rest/ We do as we damn well please…" _

The compartments that could be locked did at their passing.

Xxxxxxxxx

"What?"

"We've been invited to a party." repeated Percy calmly.

"You will not be going!"

"Why not?"

Mrs Weasley spluttered in her outrage.

"B-because it'll be full of Dark families! Enemies of our family!"

"Mother, we don't have any enemies right now."

"THEY ARE DARK!"

Percy sighed deeply, and left her to fume.

"Father, may Ron, the Twins and I attend Indigo's Midwinter's party? It's an all night affair but…"

"Of course you may." replied Mr Weasley, smiling benignly. "Will you need transport?"

"Lady Snape has organised portkeys. Thank you father."

"Whatever for?"

Percy smiled, shook his head and went to spread the news.

Xxxxxxxxx

The manor was bedecked in lights and fresh winter greenery. The entire 1st floor had been thrown open to the guests, and music and conversation spilled from open windows, charmed to keep the heat in and the cold out.

Augusta sighed. She had been weary of this from the start, and moderately horrified when she heard it was a costume party. But Neville and Harry had wanted to come, so here they were.

A pair of tall, thin men slipped from the shadows and guided them to a cloakroom before vanishing back into the garden. Within moments a young girl, darkly radiant in a black mask and raven feather clock, entered the room, bowed slightly and reached to them with black gloved hands.

"Welcome." she said softly. "Won't you join our revelry?"

Augusta gapped. Did the girl know what she was saying?

The boys had already taken the offered hands, and she drew them into the main building with a crocked smile and a toss of her dark curls. A dozen kinds of music drifted into the corridor from open rooms, there was a distinct lack of breakable items around and through one door Arabella Zabini, splendid in cream lace, could be seem dancing with what looked like a live python.

Ah. The girl did know what she was talking about after all.

xxxxxxxxx

Kougaiji the corsair stood with Yaone the pirate queen, Dokugakuji the navel office and Lirin the wench. None of them were wearing their limiters. The party goers didn't seem to care.

"Good evening." said a stately blond woman in an old fashioned nightdress. "Won't you join our revelry?" Then she gave Liren a secretive smile. "We have a glut of pirates, but a shortage of wenches. You may find yourself in high demand."

The princess looked extremely please by this.

Ron zoomed down the corridor, whooping loudly, he then swerved to avoid a man in a frilly shirt.

Just what happened next is a mystery, and will likely always be so. Whatever happened, it ended with Yaone supporting Liren and Ron held bridle style in Dokugakuji's arms.

Not one to freak out about little things like how he got into a situation, Ron laid a hand on Dokugakuji's shoulder, raise an eyebrow a little and purred.

"Hey sailor…"

"You're awful. An utterly evil child." Dokugakuji relied, half shocked, half amused.

"But I do it with style."

The naval officer laughed softly, the young punk in his arms grinned.

"You are a lunatic. Why are you rushing around like that?"

"Someone convinced Indigo to sing. I'm spreading the word."

"Is Indigo singing good?"

Ron gave his brother, sort of brother, a look that went right though capitalisation and came out the other side.

"Philistine."

He twisted from Dokugakuji's arms and stalked off.

They followed him almost automatically.

xxxxxxxx

"_I talk to God as much as / I talk to Satan / 'Cause / I want to hear both sides…" _

Somehow, almost the entire revelry had gathered in the room that Indigo was singing in. They were entranced, not even the diehard purebloods protested to the muggle song.

A daintily woman with gold hair and a heart shaped face watched, almost glowing with pride.

"That's my grandson."

Dean, in the stereotypical French artist costume, gave her a disbelieving smile.

"Liar. You can't be older than 30."

"I'll have you know I'm almost 97."

Dean blinked, saw the faint shape of pale gold wings, and sighed.

"Avaunt, spawn of Satan."

"I hate being called spawn."

Tracy had been coaxed onto the stage for a duet.

"_The fix, is in/ There's a nag gonna dance home at Epson"_

"_The fix, is in/ Can't wait to see how it upsets them" _

Tracy had, by Deans reckoning, the better voice. Hers was young, clear, sweet and human. Indigo's, while beautiful, was marked by the age of his soul, a taste of shadow in every clear note.

It was a lovely duet though.

xxxxxxxx

Amelia Bones was dancing with Lady Greengrass.

Susan the necromancer was moderately baffled by this. It was not the sort of behaviour she expected from her aunt.

Flare, a pre-teen Dracula, patted her shoulder comfortingly.

"It's okay Sue."

"But she's dancing…"

"I know, parents do that at parties. Be glad neither of them have snakes."

Susan gave him a Look. His smile was slightly pained.

"My mother is in the room with the guitar music. I expect she'll have several proposals of marriage by tomorrow morning."

"Isn't she currently married?"

"No, hadn't you heard? The last one fell down some stairs and broke his neck 5 weeks ago. And before you ask, Mother was in Italy and had nothing to do with it."

Susan chose not to comment.

"Want to dance?"

"Shouldn't I, as the male, be asking you that?"

"To hell with that."

Flare blinked, shrugged, and they went to find a room with music they liked.

xxxxxxx

Liren had run, quite literally, into Neville. They had found the kitchen with unnerving speed.

Tracy, hiding from her admires, sat by Hermione, seeking peace and quiet, and both watched in mingled amazement and disgust. The house elves were happy though, as Tracy had explained their status and how it worked to Hermione, and the muggle born, while not happy about it, had stopped growling about slave labour.

"…Where are they putting it all?" asked Tracy.

"How are they breathing?"

"Maybe they have hollow limbs?"

"Maybe they have black holes in their stomachs?"

"What are black holes?"

It took a while, but Hermione did eventually manage to explain the concept of black holes to the pureblood, who had never watched Star Trek, or Doctor Who.

Tracy was a lot more worried about the universe in general by the time she understood.

xxxxxxx

Miranda was dashing around the revelry, Colin, and more importantly Colin's camera, in tow.

They had never been called blackmail gathering little bastards before, but that was going to change.

xxxxxxxx

Harry and Yaone were talking about poisons. The people around them were starting to worry.

Mostly because Yaone was a pirate and Harry was a highwayman, and they had three pistols and two swords between them and kept smiling.

xxxxxxxx

Kougaiji was talking to Luna Lovegood.

"…naturally the Ministry refuses to acknowledge the presents of Leicuffs in the area, in order to keep the space for their nagle breeding."

It was a rather perplexing experience.

"We have similar problems in China, between the muggles industry and our government's denial the Ghost Llama is in serious danger."

Despite this, he was enjoying himself immensely.

Her cross dressing didn't bother him in the slightest.

xxxxxxxx

Daniels nursery was warm and dark. He, like his sister and half brother, had no fear of the dark and so had no nightlights.

Being hungry and alone though, that frightened him.

"Hey little one, calm down, I'm here."

Indigo leaned down, scooped his baby brother out of the cot and cradled the boy in his arms.

Daniel stopped crying quickly, one little hand going up to the amethyst teardrop that hung from Indigo's left ear in the grabby motion of small children everywhere.

"Don't pull that Daniel. What woke you? Hungry?"

"Yup."

"You've picked up Miranda's vocabulary I see."

A happy gurgle greeted this comment, and was swiftly silenced by a bottle.

"Aw, you're all cute and parental."

"Were my hands not occupied, you'd be in pain now Hazel."

The young druid laughed delightedly, and entered the nursery, carefully avoiding the toys on the floor.

"So this is Daniel? He looks like Professor Snape."

"Severus is his father."

"Yes, but he's Mirada's father as well, and she looks like you."

"We take after Mama's family."

Hazel watched in silence as Daniel finished his bottle, was burped and returned to his cot.

"You're good with kids. What's that costume meant to be, Baldur?"

"Quite probably, Mama chose it."

Hazel eyed the heavy gold torc and bangles, and then shrugged and tugged of one of Indigo's many tiny braids.

"Your family's blatant wealth is aggravating. If your brother is asleep, will you come and dance?"

"Alright."

xxxxxxxx

It was almost dawn, and the revelry had drifted outside to the east facing garden.

Percy, slightly drunk on white wine and slightly breathless from a high speed dance with Oliver, wasn't sure why this was, but knew that it felt right.

The garden held still silence in the before-dawn darkness, the fey standing serenely among the party goers. Then a single clear, high pitched voice rose in a song, and others joined it in a tune he couldn't track and words he couldn't catch. Penelope joined the song, her eyes dreamy, and a few seconds later Oliver added his voice to the melody.

The first rays of the morning sun slipped over the horizon and the song fell away to almost nothing, only for a new song to rise in its place, and this time Percy found that he knew the words.

The sun rose, the music drifted away.

The air tasted of spring.

"I think I'm drunk."

"Mm. But isn't the light beautiful?"

Oliver hugged them both.

xxxxxxxx

Jackie and the Twins stood very still, hands clasped and faces turned towards the sun.

Mirivell, watching them unnoticed, smiled.

She was well pleased by her son's choice of beloveds.

Xxxxxxxx

A hand touched Kougaiji's elbow, and the demon king glanced down to Neville's caramel eyes.

The earth child smiled.

"Stay?"

"For a while."

xxxxxxxxx

The 1st of January. Annika Kurosaki had insisted that they wait until then to have the final hearing. It would, she said, tell the Ministry that they weren't going to let this go anytime soon. Sirius didn't understand, but Remus had agreed so he went along with it.

Currently Annika was walling on Barty Crouch, who was looking rather uncomfortable.

More interestingly, Dumbledore was twitching, though this may have been Lord Potter, Harry, was sitting by Lord Malfoy and the 12 year olds kept whispering to each other.

Much of the Wizengamot was watching them worriedly.

Someone had suggested Veritaserum, it was brought out and Sirius swallowed the required 3 drops.

Malfoy coughed, halting the Ministry questioner before they started.

"Perhaps it would be best to have a neutral party conduct the questioning, to ensure impartiality." He gave them a winsome smile. "Lady Morag, could we preside upon you a little more?"

A good choice, the Scottish pureblood had stayed out of the war, and had little love for the Ministry.

She nodded sharply, and asked questions with a blunt practicality and fierce accent.

Sirius had proved his innocence in under two minutes, and then Morag asked a question to toss them into turmoil.

"Who ken of the switch aside yerself?"

"Lily and James Potter, Petter Petigrew and Albus Dumbledore."

A flood of whispers filled the room. Dumbledore blanched. Someone handed Harry an envelope, the contents of which made him whoop, and everyone stare at him.

"I got an Outstanding on my potions OWL!"

The adults returned to their whispering. Dumbledore paled a little more

Malfoy smiled at Harry, then he glanced at Dumbledore and his smile became a tad smug.

xxxxxxxx

"If I had a hat, Miss Kurosaki, it would be off to you."

"I must thank you for your assistance, Lord Malfoy."

"It was my pleasure."

The lawyer smiled, nodded to Sirius and Remus, and left.

"You bloody Malfoy psychic."

"Hello cousin, Mr Lupin."

Remus tensed. There was something about the boy, something that couldn't be explained by Malfoy-ness alone...

A single gold brow was raised invitingly.

"What are you?"

"Human mostly. For now." He looked to Sirius. "Word of warning, cousin of mine, Harry is a potions master in the making, and Severus intends to get him there sooner rather than later. Make trouble about that and I'm going to stop liking you, so try to get along and don't seek custody until you've had some counselling. Alright?"

Sirius gritted his teeth, glaring.

And Remus almost fell over when his hot headed friend nodded.

"Thanks."

"You look pleased." said Harry, wandering over. "Good afternoon Mr Black, Mr Lupin. Indigo, that smile is just a bit worrying."

"There'll be an _enquiry._" The word was pronounced with a certain evil relish. "Out of the Ministry, at least. Out of Hogwarts as well if I can arrange it. It's going to be so much fun."

"You have issues."

"Pot, kettle, haven't we had this conversation before?"

"You have as many issues as I do."

"But mine are more fun."

Harry laughed. Sirius processed what was said, while Remus tried, and failed, to process what hadn't been said. Indigo smirked and sauntered off.

"An OWL at twelve?"

"Yes."

"You've got Lily's brains." Sirius smiled at Harry, head slightly to one side. "Hi. I'm your dogfather."

"Godfather, Sirius."

"Shut up Moony."

This time Harry's laugh was for them, and somehow that made it better.

* * *

Yay for half term! Damn the fact that i have more exams after it... Was tryig for humor here, did it work?

Cookies for anyone who know the songs I've pinched bits from in this chapter.

Next chapter: Phoenix and Valentine's Day


	10. Chapter 10

Sum: Sequel to ST. Alice is nuts, Deans powers are growing, Dumbles is acting up, Scabbers had escaped and something is petrifying the students. Thank god there's a loony seer, a camera wielding fanboy and a very sensible young lady to help fight the good(ish) fight. Swearing and mentions of slash and 3soms.

amimegirl1994: Corret! Have a cookie.

moonlightskymist; Cheers.

Holysinner5527; 'S cool, i've been flipping out some as well. Hope your graduation thing went well.

Firehedgehog; -grins-

MoonPrincess623; Alas, he oesn't get beaten up much in this fic. Give me time... Hakkai and Sanzo evilness rocks. Period.

HeavenSentHellBroken; Yay! Cookies!

**Authors Rant; **I hate exams! AS levels are the bugger! Half term came at the most inconvernient time! I think i falled chemistry and can any one tell me the posh term for junk DNA? Writters block sucks pebbles, I'm being highjacked by plotbunnies of HakkaiSanzo humor that make no sence to anyone but me, and I've actully posted one of them on this site. What was i thinking? It's been a mounth since i upated Lamina, I've started a crossover of Final Fantsy VII and Naruto when I've never read either of them! YouTube is my savior, or would be if i could remember the name of the bloody song. 30 Seconds to Mars is unspeakably awesome, the d on my keyboard isn't working properly so i have to keep going back and hitting it again which is really annoying, i make enough typos as it is without the keyboard helping. The spare room is a pigstye, GODDAMN IT ALICE THAT SONG IS OLER THEN YOU ARE!

I feel better now. On to the story.

* * *

Phoenix and Valentine's Day

According to Hogwarts: A History, which Hermione had abandoned for books on huge snakes, the headmasters office had been warded by Godric Gryffindor himself.

Indigo was feeling pretty smug about that.

Getting in had been almost irritatingly easy once he stopped trying to break the wards and tried to subvert them instead, it was almost as if someone had purposely made them so they could be avoided.

And wouldn't that put an interesting spin on certain long standing rivalries.

He'd borrowed Harry's invisibility cloak to plant listening spells around the gargoyle, and again to inspect the wards on the door proper. Then it had just been a matter of getting some lock picks.

Jackie had surrendered his, once Indigo had promised not to try anything when Dumbles was in the castle.

The Marauders Map, lent to him by Fred and George after considerable bribery and coercion, was worth far, far more then it's own weight in diamonds.

The enquiry, and that word really did make him happy nowadays, was kicking off at last and Dumbledore had been called away to London, shortly after a ghost and a Huffelpuff had been petrified.

And Hermione, Hazel, Tracy, Harry and Fred had been kicked out of the liberay 10 minutes before curfew, swearing like sailors because things that could damage ghosts were very, very interesting.

The lock was crap. The magical population of Britain depended far too much on spell work, and this spell work was far from stellar, yielding under a rather simple whistle spell, a demonic spell admittedly but still.

There was a certain lack of ornaments in the room.

"Let's hear it for repo-goblins."

"It was a thing to see when they invaded."

Indigo span to face the speaker, mentally cursing himself for being so damn stupid as to talk around wizzarding portraits, he'd gotten too damn used to them, stated to forget about them. If they told Dumbledore, well his hair was up and hidden by his hood, and the lower part of his face was covered, it was too dark for eye colour to he visible, but body language… How many people moved anything like him?

He couldn't think of anyone. Yuki, maybe, and Harry could probably pass if he wanted to.

"Calm, child. I'll not tell Dumbledore." The speaker was male, dark hair, the only one awake in a room full of sleepers. "I'm Dark, child."

"Can you lie to him?"

The man was still for a moment, and then turned his back.

"I'm not sure what you're here for, but he's caged a phoenix. Be a dear and take it with you? It's in the oak cupboard, the door on the left. The wards are not terribly complex, to cancel them-"

This whistle spell was more complex. The man laughed.

"You certainly didn't learn that here. Well done. The coot called it Fwarks, breaking the ward probably alerted Dumbledore. You'd best be quick."

The original objective had been the seal of the Head of the Wizengamot, which Dumbledore should have handed over at the start of the enquiry, but he hadn't offered and for some reason no-one had pushed.

It would wait. The phoenix, weak and moulting alarmingly, wouldn't.

xxxxxxx

Dean opened his eyes, cool flames seeming to lap at his hands.

He peered at them though the darkness, the image of the abandoned class room their group had claimed after Madame Price started glaring whenever they entered the library flickering behind his eyes. The ghosts of purple flames danced on his finger tips.

Ah, so…

He rolled out of bed and shook Ron awake.

"Get up. Your boss is about to do something silly."

xxxxxxx

Luna, sleeping peacefully in Ravenclaw tower, smiled as the future shifted.

xxxxxxxx

Dumbledore tensed as he felt the wards around Fwarks's cage fall. It wasn't possible for the dratted bird to have been taken, the wards on his office were intact…

Could the phoenix have escaped, or died?

When had he last feed it anyway?

xxxxxxxx

The cage had presented a slight challenge, but brute force had sorted that out. He had strong fingers after all.

Calm was needed to instantiate a link of this nature, which had never really been his strong point.

Just this once, he wished for a little of Harry's near constant serenity or Ron's laid back nature.

xxxxxxxx

Ron wasn't really sure what was going on, but Dean had pulled an 'obey me **now**' tone of voice out of nowhere, and he made it a rule not to argue with that tone of voice.

Except when it came from Indigo, and even then he argued while doing as he was told.

The artist lead him through the dark corridors to their new clubhouse, and in the dead classroom sat Indigo, his eyes closed and a phoenix on his lap.

A phoenix which promptly exploded into a ball of fire, which became a pile of ash and chirruped, all without Indigo so much as twitching.

Dean pushed him gently towards the bird and the blond.

"Air feeds fire. Help the bird, before Indigo gives it too much of what he is."

"Um, how?"

"Just don't think about it, and don't resist."

Ron gave him a worried look, and moved closer to the visibly growing bird. How to do this? Damn, how did you stop thinking, he'd never learnt to meditate-

The phoenix turned slightly and looked at him.

Oh. Okay.

He placed his hands so they weren't quite touching Indigo's, and breathed.

Something flared and grew and broke, he could hear joy, see hot winds and taste the desert spices though his finger tips-

Ron opened his eyes to find himself sprawled on the floor, facing Indigo and feeling more than a little dizzy.

"What just happened?"

"An excellent question." snapped Kougaiji, stalking in and giving Dean, who was petting Fwarks, a suspicious look. "Would someone care to explain how you've managed to send the wards over the entire school nuts?"

"They saved a phoenix." said Dean happily. "It generated a certain excess of power, which went into the wards. It should prove useful."

"Something broke." muttered Ron, sitting up.

"One of the unnatural bonds. Something went along it and it broke."

"Unnatural...?"

"Three lives each, we only knew you in one of them. Dean's odd brand of psychic power unlocked the rest." Indigo flipped himself upright. "Not tired..? The power went though both of us before going to the wards. I think it burnt out the bond. I think."

Ron looked a Dean, who shrugged.

"It's as good an explanation as any I've got."

"Okay. Where did the phoenix come from?"

"He was in a cage, in Dumbledore's office." Indigo frowned at the now broken cage. "I should return this."

"I'll do it." stated Kougaiji, scooping up the metal tray. "They'll be less difficult questions if I'm caught. I want a proper explanation later, alright? Which cupboard?"

"The oak under the window, left hand door, bottom shelf."

"Okay, now go to bed, and have the bird leave."

"Mm. Come on Fwarks, I'll take you to the forest but you're on your own from there. Get far away from Hogwarts."

Fwarks cooed in agreement and, after bumping his head against Ron's face, left on Indigo's shoulder.

"What part of 'go to bed' didn't he understand?"

"The doing as he's told part. Thanks man."

Kougaiji waved a hand dismissively and set off.

"He seems a good ally." said Dean as they headed back towards Gryffindor tower.

"He is, now shut up. We have to sneak."

"Yes sergeant."

"…Not you as well."

xxxxxxx

Harry awoke on Valentine's day with a strong feeling of impending doom.

Once he reached the Great Hall he knew why.

"Too much damn pink…"

"I second that statement." said Millicent from two steps behind him. "A galleon says Lockhart is responsible."

"I don't take sucker bets."

Neville, entering next to Susan, made a small, pained noise.

"That's horrible." muttered Susan. "I mean there's horrible and there's horrible but this is really horrible."

"It clashes with the Gryffindors."

They stopped looking horrified for a few moments to stare at Flare.

"It does!"

He had a point, a good point, but still…

Flare stalked off, looking highly affronted. Susan wandered after him for reasons known only to herself.

Shortly before breakfast ended Lockhart stood up and beamed at them. His robes were a particularly lurid shade of pink, his teeth sparkled weirdly.

"Happy Valentine's Day!"

Someone at the Ravenclaw table started praying.

"To celebrate the day-"

"What self-respecting dwarf would wear that?" asked Tracy softly, looking at Lockhart's tutu wearing messengers in blank horror.

"One that's under a mind control spell?" suggested Hermione.

Lockhart received some rather suspicious looks, which he didn't notice.

"-and I'm sure Professor Snape will be happy to help you whip up a love potion!"

Severus's snarl was audible throughout the hall, as was Harry's hiss of;

"Those are illegal!"

"And most have antidotes." added Fred, nodding gravely.

"Precisely! Does no-one think their wicked plots through anymore?"

Quite a number of people reconsidered sending Harry a Valentine's card.

xxxxxxxx

"Out!"

The dwarves retreated under the youkai king's glare.

"But-"

"We got-"

"_**OUT!**_"

Kougaiji slammed the door. His students applauded loudly.

"Was one of them singin'?" asked Neville. "Somethin' about toads…"

Harry started banging his head against a wall.

"Foul. Evil. Needs. To-"

"It followed him from charms." explained Indigo, taking a break from walling into a Huffelpuff twice his size and almost his equal in anger management issues. "The other ones clump around it so kicking is out of the question and curses don't seem to be working."

Ron pulled his friend away from the wall, sat him down and talked soothingly about a potions essay.

"Who'd send singin' Valentines ? That's just nasty."

"That does sum up Ginny Weasley's mental state quite well, yes."

"Can I eat these?" Neville held up a box of chocolates. "Please? I'm really hungry; I didn't get a good breakfast."

"Liar!" called Ron, "You ate half the damn table!"

"Did not!"

The argument swiftly descended into a brawl.

"I thought they had stopped doing that." murmured Harry.

"We should be so lucky." replied Indigo, with a luxurious, feline stretch. "What are the chances of at least some of those chocolates being spiked?"

They gazed at the pile of chocolates, flowers, cards and other gifts they had been sent.

"High. Very high indeed. There are spells to show which ones have been tamped with."

"Thank… someone. Not the gods. Oh, he's back."

Indigo' s living punch bag was indeed up again, and was glaring dangerously, which would have been more alarming if he wasn't a living punch bag.

"You have a go. I can't seem to beat the concept of dodging into him, it's getting tiresome."

Harry, who had watched them fight and knew the half lie in Indigo's words, accepted and sauntered towards the 7th year. He could use some therapeutic mindless violence and hitting inanimate objects just wasn't satisfying.

In one corner sand bled all over the floor from Harry last punch bag. Indigo wondered vaguely if he should send one of the morons for Madame Pomfrey.

xxxxxxxx

Dumbledore glared into his scrying crystal. Lockhart was surposed to keep the dwarves away from Harry, to try and limit the more famous celebrity.

The man must be closer to his inevitable decent into madness than previously thought.

Everything was going wrong, again. Damn whoever had arranged Sirius's trial, the meddlesome cur, they ruined his plans.

He had no chance of getting Harry back to the Dursleys now, and was in danger of losing his place on the Wizengamot. His testimony of being under too much stress following Voldemorts defeat had won him enough support to avoid Azkaban but the Dark families were talking about his age in a significant way and even the Light families, those who owed him their unquestioning support, were getting shifty. Sirius had been on their side after all.

Why did no-one ever understand the sacrifices that must be made for the Greater Good? Those fools had cost him his phoenix, the symbol of his power, thanks to their senseless questions, and he hadn't even been able to harvest the dratted creature's last tear thanks to them! All that power, wasted on the wards!

Sirius and the lawyer girl were still harrying the Ministry, the goblins were up in arms because they'd been lied to, his own damn employees were giving him odd looks and his should-be weapon hadn't even come into contact with that thrice damned horocrux yet!

The spells around his corridor sent a stone over his door glowing, and he had to fore down a surge of rage at the reminder of the many silver gadgets that had once focused his wars, now gone. Breathe deeply, play the grandfather.

Someone reached his door.

"Come in."

A short pause, and the Severus entered, face blank. Damn Slytherin control.

But here at least, he could fix certain plans.

"Severus, about these additional lessons I've been hearing about…"

xxxxxxx

"You look like you've gone through the wars."

Coming from anyone else that would have seemed snide, sarcastic or just plain annoying. Hannah's innate nice-ness won out.

"Wasn't this room full of damaged desks yesterday?" asked Harry, gently placing his armful of flowers on a low table and glancing around what now resemble a large but cosy sitting room. "Who decorated?"

"Penelope, Oliver and I." said Susan from her end of a sofa. "Flare did the colour scheme. Which doesn't really help your protests of not being gay, does it dear?"

The boy on the other end of the sofa put great effort into ignoring her.

"The door will need warding if we want to keep this room as ours." said Hermione, stroking Tracy's shoulders in an absentminded sort of way. "We found some spells that should help, but setting the wards may be, interesting."

"Leave it to Indigo." said Jackie, cuddled up between Fred and George. "He's good at wards."

"Good enough to write one?"

"Yup. Though not right now."

Indigo, flopped inelegantly on a couch, raised one hand and flipped Jackie the bird.

"Ya know, most people like having fans." commented Ron.

"Most people have never had fans and so don't know what the hell they're talking about. The nuts are all freaky perverts, and that's by my standards of freaky."

"They aren't that bad." said Harry. "They couldn't possibly be that bad."

"You would be amazed."

"But your standards of freaky encompass almost all things. You are near un-freak-out-able."

"And yet those people freak me out."

"Now, I am concerned."

"Can I eat chocolate now." asked Neville plaintively.

"We have to check for potions first." replied Harry in his best 'don't be silly dear' voice.

The earth child wailed, and was kicked on the ankle my Alysandra to make him shut up. Luna smiled, and continued thrashing Colin, Hazel, Eric and Yuki at poker.

Never play any kind of game with a seer; they know what you're going to do before you have decided to do it.

xxxxxxx

4 boxes of chocolates were returned to the givers stern notes about love potions. 5 other gifts were also returned with letters about suitable gifts for 12 year olds, and spells placed on those gifts.

Despite this the clubhouse looked like a florists and there was enough chocolate to make even Neville feel queasy.

* * *

Next chapter: Urgh, i don't know. Ideas people, I've got writters block.


	11. Chapter 11

Sum: Sequel to ST. Alice is nuts, Deans powers are growing, Dumbles is acting up, Scabbers had escaped and something is petrifying the students. Thank god there's a loony seer, a camera wielding fanboy and a very sensible young lady to help fight the good(ish) fight. Swearing and mentions of slash and 3soms.

Firehedgehog: Yes, yes i am.

moonlightskymist: Soz, no confrountation this chappie. Maybe next time. Thanks for the suggestion.

digisammiegirl: Cheers for all the ideas. Nomore demons, he learnt his lesson there, but does Kougaiji know...

Jim Red Hawk: Your keyboard was that bad? My condolences sir.

HeavenSentHellBroken: Oh, flattery. Nice.

MoonPrincess623: Doesn't look like they o, and Lockhart certainly isn't.

FallenHope-Angel: Good. Nev an Kougaiji had a little moment of perfect understaning, leave it at that.

Holysinner5527; Yes, math sucks. I only just got my GCSE in it, and then i dropped it. Yay for the english educational system! Cheers.

* * *

Knowledge is Power, Ginny is Nuts

"Professor Snape? What's gone wrong?"

The potions master, didn't respond. Nor did he stop pacing, glaring into space and muttering

"That thricedamned, power mad-"

Harry caught his arm.

"Sir, what has Dumbledore done now?"

Snape blinked, and then snorted, a wry smile curling his lips.

"You know it was Dumbledore just from that?"

"Well, who else would it be? The only other person I can think of who fits that description is the Dark Lord and as far as we know he's currently dis-incorporated. What's the old coot done?"

The scowl returned.

"I have been orders, by Dumbledore, with the approval of the Board of Governors, to cease your additional lessons immediately. Apparently they think it's inappropriate."

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"What do they say about Lockhart?"

Again the scowl failed. It was hard to keep scowling when Harry entered full randomness, the only person who had managed it yet was Indigo an even that had been achieved by selective hearing.

"I haven't been told. Whatever the case, I am now band from teaching you things outside of normal lessons."

Harry looked thoughtful for a few moments.

"…What about teaching other people things that they just happen to pass on, or recommending books to Hermione?"

Severus Snape smiled like the cat who'd caught the cannery.

Xxxxxxx

Ward crafting was a complicated business, every book Hermione had read on the subject said so.

She was moderately offended by how easy Indigo made it look. Admittedly he was still in the planning stage, but the speed at which the runes took shape under his quill was still irritating.

"You seem peeved Mia. What's wrong?" Tracy's huge grey eyes were gentle and questioning.

Hermione smiled at her best friend, and waved a hand at Indigo.

"He makes it look simple."

"Well, he has been playing with wards and seals since he was four years old, I'd be surprise if he wasn't good by now."

"Still, I can't help but feel that it should look harder."

"Writing it will." muttered Indigo, putting the quill down and flexing his fingers. "I'm going to have to cut chunks out as it is. Can't focus if I'm more then two pints light." He sighed. "I wish I'd brought my engraving tools with me."

"Are you talking about blood." asked Colin carefully. "Writing the ward in blood?"

"Yes."

"Isn't that, um, dark."

"Only bad if you use someone else's without their permission. I will need a little from everyone though, to try them into the wards."

"But it's Dark! It's, blood and, stuff!"

"Actually ward crafting is about as neutral as you can get." said Tracy softly. "And blood magic isn't dark; people just see it that way because they don't like seeing their own blood, and the vampire connotations."

"Nothing carries magic better then blood." added Indigo. "Partially your own."

Hermione an Colin shared a 'ye gods' look over the long scroll, almost totally covered in runes.

"Maybe we should stock up on blood replenishing potions."

Xxxxxxx

Deep below the school, Tom Riddle plotted.

Things were not going quite as he would have liked. No-one had died yet, an while the students were cautious they were not in a state of abject horror.

Also Pettigrew was jus pathetic. Spy or not, the man had to go, he had outlived his usefulness anyway.

Luckily little Peter was now brain-dead, yet more proof of his vast pathetic-ness, which made him much more pleasant to be around. Better still, Pettigrew would remain in that state as long as Tom gave him enough instructions that the rodent didn't have to think for himself, with or without the diary.

With or without…Well now, that opened up all sorts of options, didn't it?

Xxxxxxx

Ginny Weasly was wandering the halls, looking for the monster from the Chamber of Secrets.

Harry clearly needed a little help in recognising that she was his soul mate. Those Slytherins that followed him everywhere must have poisoned his mind against her, blinded him to their bond. But, Harry recuing her from the monster would be an excellent start to their relationship, a good talking point. It would be a good reason to approach him, to show her gratitude, become his friend, remove those Slytherins who were such a polluting influence on her Harry, and their bond would grow ever stronger until…

Ginny Potter ha such a nice ring to it. She was perfectly suited to be the wife of the Boy-Who-Lived.

Now where was that damn monster so that Harry could save her?

A book, lying half in the shadows behind a statue caught her eyes. She picked it up, and pouted when she realised it wasn't Harry's. Who was T.M Riddle anyway? Maybe they could help her…

Blank pages. Drat.

Oh well, she could use it to plan her and Harry's wedding, and it would need a lot of planning. It had to be perfect, utterly perfect, a fairy tale declaration of their love and wealth.

They would marry as soon as she left school.

Mum had told her so.

Xxxxxxxx

"Flare, do you ever get the feeling that Indigo and Harry are hiding something from us?"

Flare blinked at Yuki.

"I've never really thought about it, why?"

His almost-sister bit her lip delicately. Not for the first time, Flare wondered at his sorta-siblings ability to make even the simplest of gestures look dainty and pretty, they were both damn strange.

"It could be nothing, but how fast they took to each other was always strange, and the same with Rona and Neville. Then Dean had his trip to the hospital wing and suddenly they're keeping an eye on him and he's looking at them strangely, and it doesn't quite add up. I think there is something we don't know about, something that matters. And Dean is in on it."

Flare thought about this. Most of the time he left the plotting to his blonds, and they were his blonds, damnit, the same way he was their black boy, his sorta-siblings. He tended to just focus on them not damaging each other with their plots, but sometimes he would inspect their theory's. The results when he did were almost always spectacular.

"They were never what you'd call normal, were they? They've always been that way, so have we to be fair, it's way we like them. Likewise, Ron and Neville have always acted as they do. They acted as though their connection was normal, so we did as well. Saw no strangeness, until it changed." Flare sucked pensively on a sugar quill, his dark chocolate eyes strangely blank. "Dean draws such strange pictures, doesn't he? He sees things that we don't."

Yuki nodded slowly.

"The sketch book may contain clues, but he has told us nothing…"

"Is it a danger?"

"I don't think they would hurt us…"

"Mm. Me neither. We could ask."

"Flare, we're Slytherins."

"True, and so long as they keep secrets we cannot fully depend on their allegiance."

There was silence. Secrets could be dangerous, and to lie to family, even sort of adopted family, was anathema among purebloods. But…

But…

Xxxxxxxx

_Harry is so brave. He does the most amazing stunts in Quiditchs, comes within an inch of the ground before pulling out. No-one can match him. _

**That does sound spectacular. It must be a thing to see, I can only imagine…**

_Is there any way I could let you see it, Tom? I really can't describe how beautiful my Harry is. The words just don't do him justice. _

**Maybe, someday. But tell me more Ginny, tell me everything you see and I'll try to see it as well. **

_All right. First, think of emeralds…_

This girl was clearly obsessed. It made it so easy, so very easy, to use her.

Soon Tom would have two minions, their wills bent to his.

He did so like having minions.

Xxxxxxx

"We have found it!"

Heads jerked up as Hermione swept into the clubhouse, a book under her arm and Tracy drifting along behind her.

This meant that Neville slammed his head into the underside of a low table and several drops of Harry's blood fell wide of the container they were meant to land in, but never mind.

"We know what the creature is! Basilisk, giant snake, very poisonous, kills you by meeting your eyes…" Hermione trailed off as she finaly noticed how Harry was bleeding into what looked like a big cocktail shaker and that everyone was wearing plasters. "What have you been doing?"

"I'm collecting blood for the ward writing." said Indigo, disinfecting a straight razor in a candle flame. "I'm going to need some from you two as well. That's plenty Harry."

"Sure." murmured Tracy, drifting over and offering her hand. "Do you need some help with those plasters Harry?"

"Oh, no thank you."

A small slice on one finger tip later, Tracy was discovering the difficulties of applying plasters on handed for herself.

"What were you saying about the basilisk?" asked Jackie, watching the cocktail shaker with an air of vague disquiet.

"It's gaze is normaly deadly, but if seen in a reflection it may simply petrify the viewer."

"Or through a ghost?" suggested Susan.

"Oi. Theorise while you bleed, Hermione."

She obediently offered her hand.

Xxxxxxx

Someone ran past the clubhouse screaming, the Nutters deigned all knowledge.

A short time later Kougaiji walked in.

"Okay, who left the mutilated chicken nailed to Lockharts blackboard, I know- Indigo, why have you opened a vein?"

"Because leeches are gross."

"Yes, but that wasn't what I meant. Why do you need all that blood?"

"To write wards."

"You can't write wards if you've passed out from blood loss."

"It's fine. Hazel found an anti-coagulant spell. I can pass out for a while before writing them. What was that about a chicken?"

"Someone nailed a with 'chicken to Lockharts blackboard, nails though the wing joints, the legs and one though the throat."

Noises of disgust or disapproval came from all throats.

"It wasn't ever of you then?"

Kougaiji got a lot of 'who do you think we are?' looks.

"Professor, if we were going to mutilate a chicken it would be ritually disembowelled with 'Die Lockhart' spelt out in its entrails." said Harry in tones of deep disapproval. "Not some cheap knock off of Satanism."

Harry was given some very, very worried looks.

"I so lost that round of the creepy contest." muttered Indigo.

"Yes you did. Now put down the knife, you're swaying."

"No. I need another half-pint at least."

"You can bleed more later." Harry caught Indigo's wrists and firmly removed the razor from the vein before covering the wound with his fingers. "Drop the blade."

"I'm fine."

"Stand up then."

"Let go of my wrists and I will."

Harry released Indigo, blood on his fingertips but clear skin where a 2cm cut had been moments before, and Indigo stood up swaying ever so slightly.

Kougaiji darted over and caught him a few seconds later.

Harry sealed the container with a decidedly smug expression. Indigo, now on a sofa with a blood replenisher in one hand, flipped him the bird.

* * *

Again, not totaly sure whats going to happen next chapter. I miss having a plan.


	12. Chapter 12

Sum: Sequel to ST. Alice is nuts, Deans powers are growing, Dumbles is acting up, Scabbers had escaped and something is petrifying the students. Thank god there's a loony seer, a camera wielding fanboy and a very sensible young lady to help fight the good(ish) fight. Swearing and mentions of slash and 3soms.

Firehedgehog:Yeah, I'm good at those.

HeavenSentHellBroken: I think I'm bluffing, but oh well.

MoonPrincess623: Well, i certainly do, they're my charater. sort of. Harry certain deserved the win. Snakes probably going to die I'm afraid. To dangerous.

alyabunny:Cheers. Got in a bit about chickens. The house elf revolution may turn up later...

Holysinner5527:I agree with you, what was J.K Rowling thinking when she wrote that? Seemed like a bit of a cop out to me. Maybe she just couldn't be bothered to write him a girlfreind that actully made sence?

xxcolourguardxx79: Realy? I thought in was extrons...

fallenHope-Angel: It was a good line wasn't it.

**Authors Notice: **I am re-stating the shame list. So...** Bleach Locer1521, Devilishgirl ,Black Cross, FEARMEfrancis, Kitsunkuuoshii, Lunas twin, Ashui92, Silverchilddakami, J bear, Amekoryuu, Nikalian88, Naruto-Lover6271, Kitter160, Vree, psychoticKisshu, lillypad, and Yoru Hana 1. Are you still reading?**

* * *

Psycho and Possessed

It was the weekend, and there was much homework to be done.

This was being ignored by certain people, namely Indigo, who was writing a ward, and his audience, who had been attracted by the loud music and hung around to watch, probably because , in knee length cut-offs and moving absently to the music, he was quite a sight.

Millicent and Susan were keeping them at a distance. Indigo didn't seemed to have realised they were there.

Hermione had intended to be part of the audience, but had retreated some time ago with a headache. It could have been because of the blood, but the better informed, namely Tracy, considered it to be the result of Indigo's, varied taste in music.

Meatloaf had been followed by Paramore, followed by the Devils Trill and then Madonna. It was rather nerve jangling by anyone's standards.

Anyone, excluding Indigo that is.

xxxxxxxx

Dean was drawing. It seemed to be his base state nowadays.

But these drawings were planned with a particular reason in mind. He was trying to make portraits of the group, which had gained the moniker of 'the squadron' at some point, trying to show them in such a way that indicated their personalities.

Mostly, that wasn't too hard. Hannah was the harvest queen, Neville the king of beasts, Yuki remained the huntress and Flare couldn't help but be a spider. Tracy and Colin were natural watchers while Luna and Hazel were moonlight wanderers and Ron and Millicent instinctively protected those they cared for. The Nutters were tricksters, Harry some variety of water sprite and Indigo was unthinkingly feline.

But, Hermione was to focused on other people to be shown as a bookworm, Percy no longer fitted the ninja librarian look properly, and Susan was just, hard. Protective but slightly mistrustful, she defied labelling.

Troublesome.

Dean huffed, glancing around. He didn't draw in the clubhouse anymore, fond as he was of the others they had this annoying tendency of being curious at him, and it tended to slow things down. So, in the new warmth of the changing season he'd moved outside, found a tree with well arranged branched and now drew while sitting up there. He got a lot more done now.

The colours rose up before his eyes as he glanced over the turf. One particular section caught his eye.

The sketch book hit the ground with a thump, Dean landing next to it with a rather louder thump a few seconds later and only just remembering to grab it before taking off for the castle.

High in the braches, a hard leaded pencil lay abandoned.

xxxxxxxx

"WEASLEYS!"

Those Gryffindors who hadn't left their tower in the pursuit of entertainment looked at Dean in blank astonishment. He had a reputation for being quiet and reserved, rarely speaking outside his circle of friends. This was highly unexpected.

Ron raised a hand meekly.

"Whatever it was, I didn't do it."

"Of course you didn't. Where are your brothers?"

"Library and the lake."

"Right, good. Come on."

Dean turned and swept out. Ron, well versed in the safest course of action around the worried and moderately terrifying, followed him in silence.

Xxxxxxxx

"Percy, your sister is in deep shit, come on."

Percy, who had been working on an essay with Oliver and Penelope, blinked and hastily dried his quill.

"Excuse me, but Dean isn't one to make such statements without reason and-"

Oliver corked his ink bottle for him.

"We know, you have to look after them. Just be careful."

Penelope nodded and kissed his check.

Percy blinked again, and then kissed first Penelope and then Oliver in a way that would have gotten him kicked out had Madame Price been around to see it before dashing off after Dean and his brother, long legs covering the ground in seconds.

Oliver touched his lips and smiled crookedly.

"We really need to find somewhere privet."

"Maybe Malfoy could ward a room for us…"

"Penelope, have I mentioned that I love you recently?"

"Yes, but re-affirmation is always nice."

Xxxxxxxxx

The Nutters were lounging in the sunshine when their brother, Dean and Yuki, who had joined the procession out of boredom, loomed over them, and then sat down.

"Er, hi."

"Your sister has two auras. I'm reasonably certain that's bad."

The Weasleys blinked, Yuki swore.

"That's, two minds, isn't it?" asked Percy carefully.

"Could be." muttered Dean, "Could also be two souls. Has she ever shown any signs of MPD?"

The purebloods looked confused.

"Multiple personality disorder."

"OOOHH…"

"A bit, yeah." said George thoughtfully. "Very nasty mood swings, particularly when Harry's mentioned."

This was considered, with Ginnys heavy duty fangirl-ism taken into account.

"Does she have two magical cores?" asked Yuki thoughtfully. "Indigo mentioned that you could see magic."

"Spells only I'm afraid. I haven't a clue."

"Right." She sighed, and stood. "You find the Weaslette, I'll find Tracy."

"Um, why would Tracy help?" Ron was clueless.

"Didn't anyone tell you? She can see magical cores, it's a family trait."

On this bombshell, Yuki walked away.

The Gryffindors stated after her with expressions of confused shock.

"I didn't know that." declared Jackie.

"Why do Slytherins-"

"-never tell you things?"

"A mystery." Percy waved a hand dismissively. "Does anyone know where Ginny is likely to be?"

A few moments passed in silence.

"Why are you all looking at me?" asked Dean mildly. "Get out the Marauders map already."

Xxxxxxxxx

Tracy and Hermione were lurking in the library. Yuki found them with almost unnerving ease.

"Hey. Tracy, we need you to help us find out if the Weaslette is possessed or just insane. Be a love and do, whatever it is you're doing, later will you?"

"Possessed?" asked Hermione, an interesting gleam in her eyes.

"Possibly. Tracy?"

The Ravenclaw inclined her head in agreement and rose slowly to her feet.

"Are you coming, Hermione?"

"Oh yes, this sounds very interesting. Though, isn't Miss Weasley already somewhat insane?"

They thought about this while leaving Madame Price's domain.

"She could have gotten worse."

Tracy shuddered.

"Yuki, you're giving me bad images. Please stop."

Xxxxxxxx

Fred, armed with the Marauders map, lead the girls to his sisters location, stopping at a safe distance. Jackie joined them, looking deeply alarmed.

"She's killing the last of Hagrids chickens, that's the third time someone's gone after them this year, only this time it's efficient. If she isn't possessed then I am very, very worried about her mental state."

Fred wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

Tracy hummed softly, and wandered closer to the scene of chicken slaughter, looking nothing more than a person lost in thought and wandering aimlessly. She drifted past the chicken coop without seeming to notice it.

Fred shifted as though to go after her, but was stopped by Yuki's hand n his shoulder.

"Not you, Hermione, you go. Call her and say something about homework. Act normal."

The bushy haired girl nodded and dashed after her best friend. The two Nutters stared at Yuki, who sighed.

"The psychopath doesn't need to know that we're on to her now does she? This looks normal, Tracy and Hermione are always together and their bookworms. Nothing to worry your sister."

"So you're-"

"-being sneaky."

"I'm a Slytherin, it's my job."

Hermione pulled Tracy back to them, rambling about the properties of Ashwidler eggs.

"She is possessed." said Tracy softly, her huge eyes troubled. "Her core is being, twisted is the best word I have for it, and drained, I don't think that a basic exorcism will be effective, the drain seems to be going to something in her pocket."

Fred swore.

"Quite." hissed Yuki. "Where are your brothers and Dean?"

"Ron and George went to find Harry. Dean is trying to convince Percy that telling Dumbledore about this isn't a good idea."

"He should already know, the wards…" she blushed as everyone stated at her. "I found a book on the wards in the library."

"And you didn't tell me?" Tracy, true to her Ravenclaw-ness, looked utterly betrayed.

"Indigo is going to kill you." mused Jackie. "He's been looking for information on the wards since the troll incident."

Hermione, busy apologising to Tracy, didn't comment.

"Girls, while I sympathise over your tiff, go and stop Percy. Nutters, go find your other part and Ron. I'll send our Huffelpuffs after everyone else and we meet at the clubhouse, Indigo should be done by now."

"Yes ma'm."

Xxxxxxxxx

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

The gently smoking 7th year fell away from the door, hit the floor and lay there twitching.

Indigo smiled.

"Well, we know that the wards work." commented Millicent lightly.

"10 points from Slytherin for using your fellow students as test subjects." said Kougaiji absently. "Could you put this ward around a large area? People keep trying to break into the summer palace and it's driving the guards batty."

"Corner stones, set up a ward stone maybe… Couldn't use the blood warding system, maybetied to the household spells…"

"Professor, if you give him another project now, I will have to kill you." said Harry, drifting over with the rest of the squad wandering along behind him. "He only just finished the last one. At this rate he'll never get his homework done." He looked to Indigo. "Is it safe to go in?"

Indigo opened the door with total calm, seemingly untroubled by the fact that it had just electrocuted someone, and that that someone was still twitching by his feet.

There was an audible sigh of relief from the audience as the squad wandered in.

Yuki touched Indigo's wrist lightly, he frowned.

"Alright you lot, shows over. Someone drag the moron to Madame Pomfrey, or leave him here. I don't care. Professor, we'll talk more about your wards after I've done my homework, yeah?"

Kougaiji nodded, the door was shut.

The audience lingered for a few moments, and then drifted off.

The test subject was dragged away, and left in an alcove.

Xxxxxxxx

"What happened now?"

"Ginny is possessed." said Ron blandly.

"Huh. I thought she was just nuts."

"She's possessed and nuts."

Indigo looked rather impressed.

"Who is she possessed by?" asked Susan, ever practical.

"Someone strong, and ruthless and clever and cruel." Dean shrugged. "Whoever they are, they're stealing her magic."

None of them liked Ginny Weasley much, not even her brothers and Harry couldn't stand the girl. But to lose magic…

"That would kill her." said Flare, toneless.

"Whoever she is possessed by must be the one controlling the basilisk." stated Tracy. "There would be no other reason for them to kill the chickens. If we can follow her, or track her movements she should lead us right to it."

"We should tell the teachers, surely." Hannah looked worried. "We were lucky last year, but we can't take on a basilisk."

"Dumbledore knows she's possessed, Hannah." Hermione pulled a battered old book from her bag and laid it on a table. "The wards register everyone who comes into Hogwarts, including spirits. He knew about Quirell as well, he just won't handle it himself."

Hannah looked almost tearful, Hazel nodded grimly and the Gryffindors looked betrayed.

The Slytherins said nothing, but 'you only just realised?' was strongly suggested from their expressions.

"So we deal with it." Jackie shrugged. "Fine. We need eyes on Ginny on all times, a way to kill a basilisk and some way to send the ghostie on its way."

"The shard rejoins the whole to fall to fascination."

Luna slumped slightly, the deep voice seeming to have drained her strength.

"That complicated things." commented Millicent mildly.

Neville was more direct.

"Prophecies suck."

"That they do." Percy sighed deeply. "Time to invade the library. Again."

* * *

Next time:Shit, meet Fan Yay, I have a plan again!


	13. Chapter 13

Firehedgehog:Yes, it does.

MoonPrincess623: Limited Hargo in this one I'm afraid. They are Gryffindors, they more or less exist to ask dumb questions, and would you argue with Indigo?

Holysinner5527: Yay for new computers! And yay for updates!

moonlightskymist: I knew what had to happen in that one, so everything was more controlled. Neville is still attatched to Indigo, but less then he was 'cause they were apart for a long time, he will go apeshit if Indigo is threatened, I've got some plans in that area.

Chaos babe: Dean is very much part of the Squadron, 'cause i love him. I can really see Percy twirling a kunai while menacing people with overdue books, can't you?

HevenSentHellBroken: No idea who you meet, I'm English, but I'm happy for you. But calm down. Please.

kitter160: The spelling i can handle, but where did the puntuation go? Thanks for showing that you're still reading.

The Shame List, Continued: ** Bleach Locer1521, Devilishgirl ,Black Cross, FEARMEfrancis, Kitsunkuuoshii, Lunas twin, Ashui92, Silverchilddakami, J bear, Amekoryuu, Nikalian88, Naruto-Lover6271, Vree, psychoticKisshu, lillypad, and Yoru Hana 1. Are you still reading?**

* * *

Shit, meet Fan

Two days of tracking Ginny had lead them to no conclusions.

"She goes to Moaning Myrtles bathroom, and then vanishes."

"There must be a passage in there that the Marauders didn't know about."

The door slammed open, and Colin skidded in, panting.

"Look, at that."

He tossed them a photo. Indigo caught in, looked at it, and hissed before putting it on the table

_Her skeleton will lie in the chamber forever._

The camera wielding Gryffindor gave the clustered group a fragile smile.

"Guess who's vanished without a trace? Lockhart is camped out in Moaning Myrtles bathroom, swearing that the monster will come out and he'll kill it. Not sure how he knows where to go."

"Lockhart vs the basilisk?" Millicent was smiling ever so slightly.

"It gives you a little happy feeling doesn't it?" murmured Harry.

"My sister is down a hole, about to die. Would you please, please stop enjoying the situation?"

"What do ya think?" asked Neville.

"…You have been spending far too much time around Slytherins."

"We're going after her them?" said Indigo, who hadn't been paying attention. "Would be nice not to…"

"We'd help you rescue your sister."

"But my sister isn't a fangirl."

George bowed his head in acceptance of this fact.

"How are we getting' rid of Lockhart?" asked Neville.

"He is a figment of your imagination. Ignore him and he'll go away."

"You really have it in for him don't you?"

Harry did his best to look innocent as he stood and pulled on his robes. Indigo snorted, going through the same motions.

"She's only going to get worse if you rescue her."

"I'm not rescuing anyone; I'm going on an expedition for potions ingredients."

"She isn't going to see it that way."

"Is it my fault she's delusional?"

"I'm blaming her mother, mostly because just I don't like her. Come on monkey, we're going after potions ingredients."

"Yay!"

"Hey! Don't ignore me!"

"Why not?"

The door swung shut behind them.

"Wha?" Fred was perplexed.

Millicent gave him a long, hard stare.

"You really are remarkably obtuse aren't you? Is it a family trait?"

Xxxxxxxx

"Do we have a plan?" asked Ron in conversational tones.

"We handle the basilisk, Indigo deals with the ghost thing." said Harry serenely. "All nice and simple."

"Ghost thing ain't gonna hurt you, is it?"

"It probably isn't solid, and if it is I can kick it."

"'kay. What's stoppin' tha' snake goin' after you."

"I'm a Slytherin. We are not the natural targets of dark lords."

Neville seemed content with this explanation. Ron just looked at Indigo's shoes, considered the blonds preference for steel toe caps and thick soles, and privately pitied the ghost thingy if it was solid.

Xxxxxxxxx

Lockhart was sitting in the middle of the bathroom floor, swaying and muttering to himself.

They ignored him utterly.

"There's empty space under the taps." said Neville, his head slightly to one side. "Feels big enough."

"There must be an activation point." Harry frowned slightly. "I do hope it's marked. Somehow it seems silly to wander around hissing."

"Here's another cheerful thought. Does it have a password?"

"Thank you so much, Indigo, for that happy image."

Lockhart was watching them avidly, his eyes very wide.

They ignored him completely.

"There's a snake engraved on this tap." called Ron.

Harry walked over.

"_Open." _

The sinks shifted to show the gapping, dark tunnel.

"Told the! I told them!"

Lockhart dashed over, and Harry, very delicately, stuck out a foot.

The flamboyantly dressed man plummeted down the hole, a dispersing scream trailing after him until it stopped abruptly.

Harry smiled the satisfied smile of one who has just had an irritating and persistent itch scratched.

Ron was the one to say what they were all thinking.

"I'm not sliding down that and landing on Lockhart's corpse. That's just nasty. Any chance of stairs?"

Xxxxxxxxx

Lockhart's corpse had been moderately icky. After a certain amount of pleading, Indigo incinerated it.

He refused to do the same for the remains of the basilisks late dinner, stating that they were just skeletons and that skeletons weren't icky at all, but did raise the question of why a rodent eating giant snake hadn't eaten Pettigrew on sight.

This little quandary kept everyone quiet for a while.

The next door looked like it had been made by a snake obsessed goblin.

Ron drew his wand, Neville shifted to lower his centre of gravity, Indigo clipped his hair back, and Harry rolled his shoulders.

"_Open." _

Xxxxxxx

"Oh shit!"

Ton smiled as the red head barrelled out of the shadows and dropped to his knees by his sister before shaking one shoulder hard.

"Wake up you psychotic little stalker!"

He grinned at that. What an interesting family dynamic they had, though the boy's assessment was fairly accurate. Psychotic little stalker indeed.

A pity that the little lion had the sense not to let go of his wand. He had Ginny's, but he preferred not to be out numbered and out gunned. It could be rather distressing.

"Ron, let's just get her out of here and worry about the wakeup call later."

So that was Harry Potter? He had potential, certainly. He was going to be rather hansom in a few years by the looks of it and his eyes were certainly striking. But he certainly didn't warrant Ginny's level of obsession, not on looks alone anyway. She was after money and fame though, wasn't she?

They all held onto their wands. Sensible buggers.

"She won't wake."

They span towards his patch of shadows, either not noticing or ignoring Pettigrew, crouched nearby, and he stepped into view, giving them his most melancholy smile.

"She's not going to wake up again, I'm afraid. Death is a very long sleep."

"NRK!" The strange noise came from the Huffelpuff. "Your feet don't touch the ground!"

"Oh, don't worry, they will soon."

Potter looked between him and Ginny, frowning slightly.

"You are using her life force to create a corporal form for yourself?"

Oh, clever Raven.

"I am."

"Dude, that's just evil." Weasly shook his head disapprovingly. "I mean, yeah she's nuts but that doesn't mean you can just eat her."

"Cannibalism is such an unattractive trait." mused Potter.

Now that's just plain rude.

"It's not cannibalism, honestly read a dictionary. Cannibalism is the consumption of flesh and I'm not doing that. I don't know where she's been."

The trio stared at him, someone laughed, almost silently from the shadows and then the Huffelpuff sighed.

"…I'm hungry."

"…That is so inappropriate it's not even funny."

True, Weasly boy, very true. That kid was either as creepy as Ginny or possessed of no nerves whatsoever. Best to test the theory.

"Really? My basilisk is as well, apparently petrified people don't taste good. At least one of you should be happy, right?" he spun on one heel. _"Speak to me Slytherin."_

"Aw hell."

There was something very entertaining about Weaslys open and honest fear.

The trio backed away, their eyes on the floor, as his basilisk slid out of the statue.

"_I don't suppose-"_

Silly, silly Ravenclaw.

"Parseltongue won't save you Potter. He obeys me alone."

The basilisk attacked. The trio showed that irritating sensible-ness again and ran for their lives.

A blond stepped slowly out of the shadows, elegant hand lowering slowly from his eyes. Someone knew the proper way to show respect to a basilisk.

Amethyst eyes meet his own, a mouth just a few years from outright sensuality curved into a wicked smile, a slytherin tie was straightened in a gesture that looked unthought-of but almost certainly wasn't, and a signet ring gleamed gold on one long, elegant finger.

"Hello Lord Voldemort."

Well now, wasn't this a charming little surprise?

"Hello sweetie."

Xxxxxxxxx

"Why did I come along?"

"Because we all came and you're a Huffelpuff!"

"Oh yeah."

"Split up!"

Xxxxxxxx

"So, we have the hero the villain, two sidekicks and a victim… The roles appear to be filled, where do you fit into this little narrative?"

"I double as the token pretty one and the person with questionable loyalties and their own agenda."

"Versatility is so important isn't it? So many people forget it. What is this mysterious agenda of yours then?"

"Tell me, if a muggle born was raised by purebloods, if they knew our ways and respected our culture, would you still seek their deaths?"

Xxxxxxxx

Ron dashed down the tunnel.

How come he was getting chased by the monster? Harry was the hero, right? It was his job.

And how could he destroy the things eyes?

Xxxxxxxxx

"Your suggestion?"

"Make use of the detectors that find muggle born's and lost half-bloods. Find them, remove them from the influence of their non-magical parents and teach them how our world works. They stop damaging our culture, the risk of discovery by muggles is reduced and no magical child ever suffers under their fear inspired cruelty ever again. Wouldn't that be worthwhile?"

"And what of those who knew them?"

"Muggles can be remarkable careless with their children, thousands die, are harmed or just vanish every year. And what are memory charms good for if not this?"

Xxxxxxxx

Harry and Ron almost collided, and the redhead talked very fast for a few seconds.

The air down here was extremely damp, wasn't it?

The basilisk hissed out its pain as a thick band of water covered its face, and drove strange, half liquid spikes into its deadly, delicate eyes.

Xxxxxxxx

"You want me to convince my elder self. How would I even do that, and why?"

"You two are parts of the same soul. Just rejoin with him and he will know all I have told you. If more persuasion is needed… Well, that's my job isn't it?"

"Give up my new form to carry your messages."

"Your basilisk is going to die, Lord Voldemort. Potter has an interesting little skill for shaping water as he wishes to, and it is rather wet down here. And then, even with the Weaslette dead, it's a brain dead rat and someone with an ill fitting wand and the magic of a 11 year old against Dumbledore, and the teachers, and the combined wrath of the Weasly clan. It isn't likely to be a very long fight, is it?"

"You only answered half of my question, young Malfoy."

"I have some, unusual skills at my disposal, some information that is not widely known. I can disconnect you from the diary, if I have your permission, and move you to a less helpless vassal. Your brain dead pet here, maybe? His animagus form should be useful in getting around unnoticed. Then you just have to find your other self and a touch will do the rest, and you can always find him, can't you? You always know where he is…"

"Hm, a good point. But you're still asking a lot. Offer me a sweetener."

The laughter was out of place in this damp darkness.

"Greedy. Voldemort has followers in Azkabam. Dementors have less effect on animals, or animagi, and potions are lovely things. Crazy minions can be terribly troublesome you know."

This laugh came from a different source, but was equally out of place, and a small leather bound book past from one set of hands to another.

"Send me on my way then darling."

Xxxxxxxxx

Neville had slid around a corner just in time to see Harry and Ron, almost cornered by the basilisk, and selected a suitable weapon within moments.

Basilisk skin deflected a lot of stuff. Spells, steel, physical force, among over things.

But that was a damn big stalactite, and with Neville power in effect, it struck the giant snake very hard and pointy end first.

Xxxxxxxx

"This body is so, lumpy. Is the girl still alive?"

"Alas, yes."

"There there Malfoy, I'll kill her later. And who knows, maybe she'll have lost so much magic that she can't come back next year."

"Now there's a nice idea. Thank you, Lord Voldemort."

"Those I favour call me Marvolo. You may do so."

"Oh? Well, those **I **favour call me Indigo, between the errand running and the promise to kill her for me I suppose you've just about earned it."

The laugh was both shocked and delighted. Marvolo gave an elaborate bow and offered his arm.

"Might I have the honour of showing you out, Lord Indigo?"

"I can grace you with my presence a while longer."

"For some strange reason that arrogance is rather attractive."

"Yeah, it was that or highlights you understand, and arrogance is so much easier to maintain."

Xxxxxxxx

"Sorry about damaging your potions thing Harry."

"Oh, don't worry about it. Most of the useful material is probably still intact."

Ron picked his was around the half crushed basilisk head with great care and a faintly bemused expression.

"You know, I never thought of huge lumps of rock as projectile weapons before. Indigo done this thing?"

Neville's eyes became unfocused for a few moments as he reached for the blonds mind, and then he twitched as Indigo's silent celebration bounced around his skull.

"Uh-huh. Ghost boy's in Pettigrews body an' he's leaving now. Indy's goin' to the Slytherin dorms, doesn't wanna deal with Dumbledore."

"Fair enough. What about my sister?"

"Sorry Harry."

The Ravenclaw swore with a moderately frightening intensity.

"You got a basilisk corpse out of it, stop grouching. And no picking on my sister like you did Lockhart. She's just a kid, she may improve."

Harry did not look hopeful.

They returned to the chamber just as Ginny woke up and looked around.

She saw Harry, and smiled.

Then Ron suddenly started channelling a blend of Molly Weasly, Indigo, Snape and a enraged valkyrie .

"Ginny Weasly what the hell were you thinking?"

She promptly stopped smiling.

* * *

Next time is, the last chapter. New fic soon!

Aftermath and Homewards


	14. Chapter 14

MoonPrincess623: You are either a very scary person, or lying. I know i wouldn't argue with him, I might get zapped. Purple eyed bishys are awesom, 'nuth said, and Voldie is going to keep on using terms of endearment I'm afraid. Read the Hargo and try not to worry about it.

Holysinner5527: My personal favourite was Rons lines. He got some pretty good ones that chapter, I think.

Misting Rain: Big effect. I can't say more or the I'll start givinh away the plot.

Vree: Yay! You're still reading. A mini Indigo? That does sound kinda fun...

animegirl1994: Umbridge is going to suffer! Suffer!

moonlightskymist: That was a experiment, of sorts. Sorry if it confused you.

Firehedgehog: -cackels back-

Chaos Babe: Which one? Book 4 is going to get sort of complicated, unless my current plans vanish on me, whih they might...

FallenHope-Angel: Eh, he volentered. Or was just dumb enough to touch something Indy had been messing down, there will be another. I do think Ron would be pretty scary if pushed to far. Just get that vibe.

* * *

Aftermath and Homewards

The upwards clime of the stairs took a very long time, partially because Ginny was, naturally, weak after her near death experience, but mostly because she kept lagging behind in an attempt to make Harry slow down and help her along.

Harry was ignoring her; it seemed the safest course of action. Also, he was to work out how to harvest the basilisk corpus, and had to decide what to tell Dumbledore, so he lacked any attention to waste on the fangirl. Even if he had wanted to, which he didn't.

Professor Snape was waiting for them outside Moaning Myrtles bathroom. He did not look at all pleased.

"Any why, might I ask, did you go after Miss Weasley yourselves, rather than seeking out a teacher?"

Harry almost mentioned Lockhart, and then decided not to. Let them think that they never saw the ponce, all the better to avoid difficult questions. Those questions that had no safe answers.

"In my defence, I didn't go after Miss Weasley, I went after potions ingredients."

A black brow was raised. Harry shrugged.

"The eyes were destroyed and the skull is partially crushed, but there is the best part of a rather large basilisk down there."

The eyebrow was lowered as this was accepted. Risking death for fanghouls was, of course, unacceptable, but for potions ingredients? That was fine.

"The Headmaster wishes to see you all, and," he looked at Ron and Ginny. "your parents are here."

She paled and shifted uncertainly. Ron wrapped strong fingers around her upper arm, his eyes stern.

For a moment, Snape looked amused, but then he turned away from them and swoops off in the direction of Dumbledore's office, his robes billowing out behind him dramatically.

Neville, who was easily distracted, wondered if the Slytherins took classes in making dramatic entrance/exits or if it was just one of those things that seemed to go hand-in-hand with the silver and green, like never telling you stuff and the knack for complicated plans. They all did it, even the Parkinson girl, and Millicent had it down to a fine art.

Following the potions master, mostly out of habit, he resolved to ask Indigo about it later.

Xxxxxxx

"Ginny! Oh my precious baby girl! Are you hurt?"

Molly Weasley burst into tears and flung herself on her daughter, enveloping the girl in a huge hug.

Her husband frowned an almost unperceivable frown.

"Molly, calm down. We shall discuss the matter later, in privet. With Ron as well."

Ron nodded, and Harry, observing it all in silence, thought Dumbledore looked just a bit disappointed.

Then the old coot turned to him, and Harry mentally prepared for the battle to keep the old coot out of his mind.

Most pureblood children were taught occlomancy as a matter of course, if there was the power to poke around in there minds, they wanted to be able to block it, simple as that. Hanging around with those purebloods had gotten the squad roped in without much consideration about it. Occlomancy was, according to Snape and many books, primarily a matter of knowing you own mind, will power and imagination. Building really good shields could take years, but keeping people out of memories and the important parts of the mind was reasonably simple for anyone with enough concentration.

Ron was working on a mindscape of windmills, Yuki had constructed a snowstorm, Neville had a head full of lava pits, dancing skeletons defended Susan, Indigo held a desert oasis that contained nothing but a thought in each grain of sand beyond it, and Hannah had made a beautiful forests populated by memory caring deer.

Harry had chose a river, a crazy mash up of rapids, slow water and marshland, everything that mattered contained by aquatic life forms and the water an invitation to drown.

Indigo could navigate it, had tested it and told him that the fish were weirdly friendly and nothing had tried to drown him and it needed more work.

Harry wasn't worried. Indigo was, Indigo, and he had never really been able to stop the blond doing anything, including messing with his head. It wasn't like Indigo didn't know all his secrets anyway.

Dumbledore gave the first shot of the fight.

"My dear boy, I'm delighted to see you alive and well. However did you manage to defeat the creature?"

"Oh, it wasn't me sir. Neville made utterly inspired use of the terrain, he probably saved my life."

Neville, possibly joining the act but mostly likely just being himself, looked and the floor, scuffing one foot in an embarrassed manner.

"Not really, was practically an accident, an' it coulda killed you 's well…"

A certain tightness around Dumbledore's eyes, and a indrawn breath from the Weasley women.

"But it didn't, and the basilisk could have killed us without your intervention." Harry mocked up a thoughtful expression. "I suppose we owe you our lives."

"Yeah." Ron nodded.

"Nah. "Neville waved a hand dismissively. "We're friends, ya don't owe me for stuff like that."

Ron cooed and went and hugged the brunet.

"Isn't he just the nicest boy you've ever met?"

Yes. The noisiest and the hungriest as well, but certainly the nicest.

Dumbledore gave them all a smile of twinkly eyed benevolence. Interesting, why didn't he want the debt acknowledged? The power, probably, the influence Neville would hold.

"I am somewhat surprised that you manage to drive the spirit from Miss Weasley. Should I assume that you have been investigating exorcism?" He peered at them thoughtfully over his half moon spectacles. "Should I worry for Professor Bins?"

Could they do that? Well, yes of course, but how?

"Not on our account sir, he left of his own accord."

For a few seconds Dumbledore looked livid, and Harry pictures a flood as he felt an itch in his mind. Snape shifted in his dark corner, the old coot regained his self control.

"Harry," he voice was soft now. "that hardly seems likely."

"It seems perfectly logical to me sir. The basilisk was his only really dangerous weapon, without it retreat would be the best course of action."

Was he grinding his teeth?

"Riddle was many things but never sensible!"

"Who's Riddle, sir?"

Harry kept his expression carefully blank as the coot realised his mistake.

Let's see the bastard get himself out of that one.

Xxxxxxxx

It was Hogwarts, so naturally everyone knew that Neville had dealt with a basilisk and the Lockhart had vanished before breakfast the next morning. Nobody knew how these things had happened, and nobody was going to ruin a good story by getting the facts. As a result, there were some fairly interesting theories going around.

The one with Neville playing matchmaker between Lockhart and the basilisk and the unlikely pair eloping together was particularly popular, as it had the advantages of being completely implausible, and having been well told by its creator, and so reasonably well told now.

Indigo, in his normal breakfast spot at the Ravenclaw table, was enjoying it immensely, mostly because of how people were reacting to it. Total blanking of common sense.

"You're smiling Indigo, should I be worried?"

"Do you even need to ask Harry? Sit down, this is a good bit."

Harry settled into the space cleared for him by inventive use of elbows, and listened.

"…That's slightly disgusting."

"They think it's romantic."

"It's bestiality."

Indigo smirked.

"You have a twisted sense of humour."

"I'm not deigning it. What was it you wanted to tell me?"

"Who said I wanted to tell you anything?"

"I did. Tell."

Harry smiled crookedly, took one of Indigo's hands in his and focused on his last encounter with Dumbledore, pushing the memories towards his friend and letting the empathy, always heightened by skin contact, do the rest.

"He- That- Oh, that's _beautiful-_"

Indigo, no longer able to speak coherently, descended into laughter that somehow managed to be both pleasant to listen to while also holding an unmistakable note of evil joy.

Harry smiled fondly at the moderately insane blond, who was leaning heavily on him to avoid falling off the bench.

"Yes, I thought you'd like that. Though I must point out that his knowledge of Mr Riddle implies that he has important information that we are going to need at some point, and that him dying before we've got it really isn't an option. Something that will make you very cross later."

A nod against his shoulder, and continued laughter. Ah well, might as well take advantage of it.

"Will you exorcise Bins for me?"

Another nod.

A 1st year, whose attention had been caught by the hand holding and kept by the helpless laughter, whooped. Loudly.

Faced with the shocked and interested stares of the great hall, he dealt with the situation as best he could. By jumping onto the bench did a little celebratory dance and then ran out of the hall, still whooping.

Harry chuckled softly, and Indigo finally fell off the bench, still laughing.

Ron, wandering in to see this, knew one thing for certain.

"Someone is totally screwed."

Xxxxxxxx

The trip back to London was perfectly normal, or normal by Hogwarts standards anyway. There were little end of term fights going on all over the place, a number of Ravenclaws had barricaded themselves in there compartments and the Defenders of Anarchy were menacing everyone.

"_It's time to rip you clothing, it's time to flay your skin/ It's time to get things moving in the city of corpse again."_

It was generally agreed that they were getting creepier.

The Squadron had, with no forethought beyond the knowable that they would all fit in one compartment, spilt up. Percy was with his lovers, the Nutters had vanished and the Munchkins had their own compartment. The remained had separated into the group that wanted to do something quiet, Tracy, Hermione, Hazel, Hannah, Indigo, Dean and Neville (who was sleep) had gone to one compartment and the rest, who felt like conversation had taken the one next door.

Currently Ron was employing all his, not inconsiderable charm in an effort to make Millicent laugh. He hadn't managed it yet, but it was entertaining everyone else and persistence and natural good humour could yet win the day.

Xxxxxxxx

Platform 9 & ¾ was crowded, and the many families on it were milling around like cattle locked in a barn. Sheep in particular sprang to mind.

Among the sheep were two highly over excited people, a long suffering werewolf, a princess, a woman considering kidnap, a grandmother hovering between worry and rage and a large teddy bear tied to a small child who had started walking a month ago and was now refusing to stop.

The Hogwarts Express pulled in, and the students piled out. After a few minutes of bouncing up and down looking, the excitable people caught sight of their targets.

"Ma baby boy!"

"Harry!"

Blaise, who was accustomed to this sort of behaviour, just sighed. Harry, who wasn't, ducked behind him in an attempt to hide, this could have resulted in an interesting little pile up. Fortunately Arabella and Sirius collided with each other before reaching them and, in the thoughtless way of all over excited people, gloomped one another.

Remus, long resigned to his best friends' lunacy, stepped around them and went to greet Harry.

"Hello Harry, no he hasn't lost it, he's just had sugar. Just ignore him, he'll calm down eventually…"

The hugging duo finally noticed who they were hugging and sprung apart, pointing at each other with identical expressions of deep outrage.

"Evil wench! I curse you with many allergies!"

"Cur! Ah' plague o' kamikaze pedes'rians on you!"

Remus sighed deeply, waiting for the inevitable result.

"AWESOM!"

He wasn't disappointed.

Xxxxxxx

Mirivell descended on the Nutters like a moderately pissed off angel of theft. She grabbed the Twins, getting a vice like grip on their upper arms.

"You are having dinner with me. Resistance is futile. Come along, before your mother notices."

They didn't really protest that much.

Xxxxxxx

Neville was scared, because his grandmother looked cross.

Augusta Longbottom being pissed was a very good reason to be scared.

"Neville! Why didn't you tell me about the basilisk?

Xxxxxxx

"Indigo!" Mirada hugged her brother, arms catching him just under the ribs.

"Oof. Hi Miranda. Why is Daniel tied to Semi?"

"He's started walking and now we can't make him stop."

"Ah, you were the same at that age."

"Indy!"

Liren glomped him in a surprise attack from the left. Miranda stepped back slightly and left it happen with an interested expression.

"Get off! You're heavier then I am!"

She blinked, before realising that this was true, and getting off. Miranda seemed rather amused.

"Are ya really warding the summer palace? An' who're they?"

A hand was waved in the direction of the Snape siblings. The elder twitched.

"My siblings, Miranda and Daniel. And yes, if my parents allow it, I'll be warding the compound this summer."

"Cool." said Liren, eyeing Miranda, who'd eyed her straight back. "Are you gonna be as scary as Indigo?"

Miranda smiled.

Xxxxxxx

"Mother, Father. I'd like you to meet Penelope Clearwater, my girlfriend, and Oliver Wood, my boyfriend."

Molly seemed to swell to twice her normal size, turning an interesting colour as she did so. He husband ignored it.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both." said Arthur, smiling brightly at the pair as they shock hands. "Just lovely! Er. Do either of you know how to fuse a plug?"

Oliver admitted that he did.

The smiled could have illuminated a reasonably large building.


End file.
